Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, has reaffirmed that the federal government has sovereign rights over the OPL 245 oil block and will take all lawful measures to ensure Nigerians benefit from it.
This statement follows Mohammed Abacha, son of former head of state Sani Abacha, demanding Lokpobiri retract his claims of resolving the OPL 245 dispute, which is still in court.
Lokpobiri emphasised that oil blocks are national assets and that the federal government will act in the strategic interest of the nation. He also stated that he would not engage in a dispute with the Abacha family, adding that Nigeria has laws that must be followed.
The OPL 245 saga has been ongoing for 28 years, with various legal battles and allegations of fraud and corruption. Despite losses in international courts, the federal government remains resolute in its stance on the oil block.
He said: “I don’t want to join issues with the Abacha family, you know, for OPL 245. But as far as I know, every oil block belongs to the federal government of Nigeria. We will give licences to different people to operate.
“Oil blocks are federation assets, and the federal government will do anything that is legal to ensure that Nigerians benefit from the availability of these oil blocks in this country.
“I don’t want to join issues with the Abacha family, but I can assure you that we are resolving all the issues with OPL 245 in accordance with overriding national strategic interest.
“This matter has lingered on for the past 28 years. And if I were a member of the Abacha family, I would not even raise my head. As Heineken Lokpobiri, I can’t give any Lokpobiri a licence. That in itself is criminal. So if they know what they are doing, they should just keep quiet.”