The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has nullified all proceedings and interim orders made on November 21, 2025, in a suit filed by Collins Onyeweama and another against Techno Oil Limited and others, citing a flagrant breach of the respondents’ constitutional right to fair hearing.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice Ayokunle Faji held that the interim orders—granted pursuant to an ex parte application for global Mareva injunctions—were obtained through the suppression of material facts. The judge consequently set aside the November 21 proceedings in their entirety and announced his recusal from further handling of the case.
The ex parte application had sought to restrain the third and fourth respondents over alleged fears that the first respondent’s assets were being moved. However, the court found that the application was brought without any hearing notice to the respondents or their counsel, despite the fact that all parties were already represented in the suit.
Aggrieved by the orders, counsel to the respondents filed separate applications challenging the proceedings on grounds of denial of fair hearing and lack of jurisdiction.
At the hearing, Prof. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), alongside Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), Ogbonna Chukwumerije, and Kazeem Afolabi, appeared for the first, third, fifth, and sixth respondents. Nnaemeka Amaechina represented the second and fourth respondents. Other appearances were entered by senior counsel for parties seeking to be joined as interveners.
Justice Faji agreed with submissions by senior lawyers for the respondents that the petitioners failed to make full and frank disclosure. The court noted that Exhibit 25—central to the ex parte application—had already been attached to a motion on notice filed nearly two months before the November 21 proceedings.
Contrary to this, petitioners’ counsel, Ade Adedeji (SAN) and Bidemi Ademola-Bello (SAN), had informed the court that the facts relied upon only recently came to their clients’ knowledge. Justice Faji held that had the court been properly informed of the earlier filing, the ex parte orders would not have been granted.
As a result, the court nullified all orders made on November 21, 2025, for violating the respondents’ right to fair hearing.
In a further move to safeguard the integrity of the judicial process and public confidence in the courts, Justice Faji recused himself from the matter. He explained that the guiding test was how a reasonable and informed observer would view the circumstances surrounding the breach.
The court accordingly ordered that the case file be transmitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge in the Lagos Division.
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