Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the State Government will continue to fight and defend the interest of the state in order to promote the welfare of her people.
Addressing journalists on the Federal High Court judgment that confirmed that Rivers State owns Soku Oil Wells located in Akukun Toru local government area of the state, Wike said it is a known fact that the Soku Oil Wells/fields belong to the Rivers State, before they were illegally appropriated by the Federal Government to Bayelsa State.
He said: “The judgment is very proper. I have said it severally whatever belongs to Rivers State , its in our interest to fight for it collectively. That is what we are doing .
“Everybody knows that it is wrong that the federal government collected our Oil wells and ceded same to Bayelsa State. So, we took the right step by going to court.
“We sued the National Boundary Commission. By interpretating the Supreme Court judgment that for now since you’re unable to demarcate the boundary, then let the oil wells be in Rivers State where it used to be, pending when the National Boundary Commission is ready to implement the Supreme Court judgment .
“We are happy for what happened today .
We don’t believe in fighting. We only believe in following due process. Thank God the Federal High Court has affirmed and they should pay us our money which they have collected.The revenue derivation should continue to be paid into Rivers State coffers . We are happy”
PHSpectator reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, ruled that Rivers State owns the disputed Soku Oil Wells located in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, in a judgment in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/984/19, between the Attorney-General of Rivers State versus National Boundary Commission, declared that after examining all the documents from relevant Government agencies and facts before the court, the Soku Oil Wells belong to Rivers State.
The Court also made an order compelling the National Boundary Commission to rectify forthwith in the 12th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria the erroneous interstate boundary between Rivers State and Bayelsa State as contained in the extant 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria.
The Court declared that the continued failure and refusal of the National Boundary Commission to rectify the admitted mistake in the 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria since 2002, which erroneously showed St Batholomew River instead of River Santa Barbara as the interstate Boundary between Rivers State and Bayelsa State is a breach of its statutory duty and a flagrant disobedience of the order of the Supreme Court contained in its judgment delivered on 10/7/2012 in Suit Number SC. 106 /2009.
Justice Ekwo further said that the continued reliance on the said defective 11th Edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria by the other Government Agencies/Statutory Bodies especially the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Accountant General of the Federation in the computation of revenue accruable to Rivers State from the Federation Account has resulted in the continued unjust denial of derivation funds accruing from the Soku Oil Wells/fields situate within Rivers State to the detriment of the State Government.
The Court also ordered that pending the formality of compliance by the National Boundary Commission deeming the administrative boundary between Rivers State and Bayelsa State to be River Santa Barbara in accordance with the admission of the National Boundary Commission as per the letter of 3/7/2002 and the definitive order of the Supreme Court made on 10/7/2012.
Justice Ekwo granted the two reliefs and directed that notice be served of the Decision of the Court on the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the Accountant General of the Federation.
The Court said that the National Boundary Commission cannot unilateral delineate boundaries between Rivers State and Bayelsa State after the Supreme Court judgment on the matter.
The Court also dismissed an objection to the suit raised by the National Boundary Commission, which it said is lacking in merit.
Following the failure of the National Boundary Commission to obey the Supreme Court judgment on the Soku Oil Wells, the Attorney General of Rivers State filed an originating summons at the Federal High Court in Abuja through Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/984/19 to ensure the enforcement of the declarative judgment.
Counsel to the Rivers State Government, L.E. Nwosu (SAN) described the judgment as a victory for the rule of law in Nigeria.
