A Lagos National Industrial court sitting in Ikoyi, Nigeria has dismissed the objection filed by a multinational Oil company, Exxonmobil Corporation and its parent body Mobil Producing Nigeria UnLimited against N4billion suit instituted against the company by its ex –staff, Mr James Nwagbogwu Ebede.
Joined as co-defendant is the Vice President, Mr.Ronald W. Romere,who had worked in Nigeria before being deployed in Iraq.
In a statement of fact filed before National Industrial court by a Lagos lawyer Mr Francis Chuka Agbu SAN, Ebede stated that he worked with the company from December, 2001 to 2018 as an Engineer adding that his consistent excellent performances was the reason he was, at various times, given important responsibilities.
In 2015 he was deployed to Dubai, the posting was to last till December 2017, but was forcefully redeployed back to Nigeria and retired because he refused to carry out dishonest actions assigned to him by the manager of ExxonMobil while on assignment in the United Arab Emirates and Iran. On his return to Nigeria, further punitive actions were taken against him leading to his forced pre-mature retirement.
He stated that the company attempted to compel him to employ unqualified Engineers; sign off poorly executed project as completed; manipulate contracts in breach of simple ethical guidelines; rig bidding process and award projects at escalated costs.
His refusal to toll the unclean pathway, according to him, made the company not to reimburse him for the monies expended on settling his children’s school fees; refused to provide flight tickets for the return of his family members to Nigeria after his stay in Dubai as well as refusal to ship his belongings.
Consequently, Mr Ebede is not only claiming the following sums of money
$40million as general damages for the emotional stress he has suffered; N114,992,096 being the equivalent of 32 months salary which defendant ought to pay him for his forceful retirement, but also demanding published public apology in two daily newspapers and two international newspapers
However, the defendants, in their preliminary objection filed before the court by Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu SAN, urged the court to decline jurisdiction to entertain the suit on the ground that the ExxonMobil company is an entity incorporated under the laws of the United States of America. therefore the Nigerian court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
In his response, Agbu contended that the company not only conducts its business in Nigeria by mean of subsidiaries, but also operates and directly in Nigeria as it holds operating interest in several Oil Mining OML.
He therefore, urged the court to dismiss the objection of the defendants.
In his
ruling, the presiding Judge R. H. Gwandu while adjourning for hearing
said”I hold that this court has the jurisdiction to adjudicate on issues
contained in the claimant’s suits both by subject matter and territory, the
claimant having shown sufficient cause of action against the defendant.
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