The Federal High Court, Abuja, has today;Tuesday, restored Senator Ifeanyi Ararume as the non-executive Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The court set aside his removal by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 17, 2023.

Ararume had prayed the court to declare his removal as the NNPCL chief illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional and that it was a total breach of CAMA law under which the NNPCL was incorporated. He further approached the court to issue an order to return him to office with damages worth N100 billion as compensation for the humiliation suffered nationally and internationally.

Delivering judgement, Justice Inyang Ekwo voided Arume’s sacking and awarded N5bn as damages against President Buhari and the NNPCL, to be paid for the disruption of Arume’s appointment on the ground that the action of the President was arbitrary, unlawful and illegal.

The justice ordered that Ararume be immediately restored to office as the non-executive chairman of the NNPCL.

The judge also declared as null and void all decisions of the Board of Directors of the NNPCL carried out in the absence of Ararume.