Mohammed Abacha, son of Nigeria’s late military ruler Sani Abacha, has initiated legal proceedings to challenge a Court of Appeal judgment that dismissed his claim to the lucrative OPL 245 oil block.
The move comes after a three-judge appellate panel nullified a Federal High Court ruling on 23rd May 2025, finding that key jurisdictional issues raised by Agip had not been properly addressed. The oil giant had argued Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd’s case was statute-barred, having been filed five years after the contested 2011 reallocation to Shell and Agip.
Abacha’s legal team, led by Reuben Atabo, filed a motion on 4th June seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, insisting the case raises “serious questions of law” worthy of the apex court’s consideration. Edwin John, the affidavit deposer, warned that denying this motion would permanently block their constitutional right to appeal.
The dispute centres on one of Africa’s richest oil blocks, originally awarded to Malabu in 1998. The 2011 settlement that transferred rights to Shell and Agip for $1.1 billion has spawned multiple international legal battles, with anti-corruption campaigners alleging bribery – though courts in Italy and the US have since cleared the companies of wrongdoing.
This latest appeal continues a 25-year saga that has seen Nigeria’s government unsuccessfully pursue multiple lawsuits before abruptly withdrawing its $1.1 billion civil claim in Italy last November. Observers note the case represents unfinished business from the Abacha era, with the family maintaining they were cheated in the controversial deal.
Legal analysts suggest the Supreme Court appeal may face hurdles given the appellate court’s firm finding that Malabu missed the statutory three-month window to challenge the oil block’s reallocation. However, with billions at stake, the battle over OPL 245 appears far from over.
Discussion about this post