Following the Malabu deal which gave rise to controversies over the years, a London judge has ruled that Nigeria’s $1 billion suit against oil giants Shell and Eni cannot go ahead in England.

Christopher Butcher, the High Court Judge on Friday, May 22, has said the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the claim.

He said in a statement he signed that the English case has both the same essential facts and parties as parallel proceedings in Italy both brought by the Nigerian government over the Malabu deal.

According to Premium Times, both oil giants argued to stop or stay proceedings in the $1 billion lawsuit brought by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN).

Virtual hearings in the case took place last month, during which the companies argued to halt the $1 billion English suit as duplicating the ongoing criminal trial and parallel civil claim being brought by Nigeria in Italy over the controversial OPL 245.

The defendants – Eni, Shell and others – asked for the court to decline jurisdiction under article 29 of the recast Brussels Regulation, as the Italian case against the companies is still in progress.

Read more here: https://thestreetjournal.org/2020/05/malabu-nigerias-1bn-suit-cannot-go-ahead-in-england-london-high-court/

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Sad, Nigeria's media are not covering this story, the sort of sordid detail that is emerging is very disgusting

all this Malabu drama is a distraction jare