NEWS: DANGOTE REFINERY SUED OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL DETENTION OF VESSEL
Read Time:1 Minute, 48 Second
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE has been dragged before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the alleged illegal detention of the vessel, MT Stena Sunshine. The company is being tried alongside two individuals, Capt. Shivkumar Sherkhane and Rana Satendra, over the incident.
The applicants in the suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/639/2025, are the vessel Stena Sunshine and its owners. They had approached the court seeking the release of the detained vessel and protection of their rights following an incident on March 14, 2025.
Justice Akintayo Aluko, in an interim ruling, ordered Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE to release the MT Stena Sunshine from any detention or arrest upon the delivery of a GARD Protection & Indemnity Club’s Letter of Undertaking (LoU) securing any verifiable claim the first respondent may have, up to the sum of $200,000 USD. However, the court directed that the LOU shall be in the sum of $300,000 USD, as indicated in the applicants’ letter of undertaking dated April 8, 2025. Justice Aluko also ordered the applicants to formally file the letter of undertaking before the court.
The court, however, refused the applicants’ prayer for an injunction restraining Dangote Refinery and its personnel from harassing, detaining, or intimidating the vessel or its owners. Justice Aluko held that granting such an order at this stage would touch on issues reserved for determination in the substantive suit.
The applicants, in their application dated March 26, 2025, had sought interim protection of their fundamental rights, as well as the release of the vessel from any detention by the respondents. They also requested substituted service of court processes to be effected through courier delivery.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE and the other respondents opposed the application by filing an affidavit to show cause. After reviewing all processes, affidavits, and authorities cited by both parties, Justice Aluko ruled that while the first relief could not be granted at the interim stage, the second relief seeking the release of the vessel under an LOU was meritorious and granted accordingly.
The matter has been adjourned until May 27, 2025, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0