OGEBE JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The plaintiff/respondent sued NNPC and Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) before the Federal High Court seeking several reliefs.
On the 10th of April, 2000 the Federal High Court made an ex parte order as follows: ‘That status quo ante litem be maintained by the parties herein pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed herein by the plaintiff/appellant.”
On the 3rd of July, 2000 the court gave a ruling striking out SPDC as a party in the suit. However on the 13th of August 2001, the plaintiff/ respondent brought an application before the lower court seeking the following relief: “for an order committing MR. RON VANDEN BERG, the Managing Director of the 2nd respondent company and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited to prison by reason of his disobedience of the Order made by the court (per Hon. Justice E. O. Sanyaolu) on 10th April, 2000
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In reaction to this, the learned counsel for th…