THE Federal government has withdrawn charges bordering on abuse of Nigeria’s immigration laws that it had preferred against Seplat Energy Plc, the company disclosed in a statement it released to the investing public on Thursday, April 20.
The notice of withdrawal of the action was dated April 6 and issued by the Director, Legal Services, of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), it added.
The statement was titled, ‘Notice of Withdrawal/Discontinuance of Immigration Suit against Seplat Energy and Its Directors,’ and signed by its Board chairman, Basil Omiyi.
Seplat quoted the NIS as stating in part that “the Claimant hereby discontinues all the proceedings in this charge against the above-named Defendants.”
The federal government had filed criminal charges against Seplat, the company’s chief executive officer (CEO), Roger Brown, the board chairman, Basil Omiyi, for alleged breach of extant provisions of the Immigration Act 2015.
In the lawsuit, with Charge No. FHC/AB/CR/149/2023, filed at the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja on April 6, the federal government accused the defendants of allowing Brown to accept employment as the CEO of Seplat without the statutory approval of the Comptroller-General of Immigration.
The ICIR recalls that the FHC sitting in Lagos vacated the ex parte interim orders against Seplat Energy Plc, its CEO Roger Brown, and Board chairman Basil Omiyi, and also vacated the order that restrained Brown from participating in the running of the company, filed by five persons who claimed to be minority shareholders of Seplat.
Seplat, however, said it would continue to engage with the ministry of Interior to close the allegations presented to the ministry as a result of which the residency status of its CEO was withdrawn.
The company also referred to its announcement of April 6 where it confirmed that the FHC sitting in Lagos vacated the ex parte interim orders against the company and its executives.
“This announcement is made further to the Company’s announcement of 13 March 2023 and pursuant to Rule 17.10 of the Rulebook of the Nigerian Exchange, 2015 (Issuer’s Rule),” Seplat added.