A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered multinational oil companies, Total E&P Nigeria Plc and Chevron Nigeria Limited, to defend the allegation by the Federal Government that they under-declared the volume of crude oil they shipped out of the country between January 2011 and December 2014.
The Federal Government accused Total E&P Nigeria Plc of short-changing the government to the tune of $245,258,640 by allegedly shipping several barrels of crude oil out of the country without making due remittance to the government.
A similar suit, bordering on the same allegation was filed by the Federal Government against Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited.
In a ruling on Friday, Justice Mojisola Ishola-Olatoregun dismissed the preliminary objections filed by Total E&P Nigeria Plc and Chevron Nigeria Limited, urging the court to dismiss the claims by the Federal Government.
The judge declared the preliminary objection as unmeritorious and ordered the defendants to file their defence.
She adjourned till October 25, 2016 for commencement of hearing in the cases.