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King Bubaraye Dakolo has sued Shell and six others for $3bn over asset divestment in Bayelsa without community consent.
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The monarch seeks a declaration that the sale violated the Petroleum Industry Act and international consent laws.
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Court granted leave for substituted service; hearing adjourned to July 22.
A Federal High Court in Yenagoa has granted leave for substituted service in a landmark $3 billion suit filed by His Royal Highness, King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, Ibenanowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, against oil giant Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and six others.
The suit, marked FHC/YEN/CS/81/2025, was brought before Justice Ayo Emmanuel who adjourned the matter to 22nd July for hearing.
King Dakolo is challenging the sale of Shell’s onshore and shallow water oil and gas assets to Renaissance African Energy Ltd (7th defendant), claiming the process excluded his kingdom and breached mandatory provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
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Also joined in the suit are Shell NV (2nd defendant), Shell Plc (3rd), the Attorney General of the Federation (4th), the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (5th), and the Minister of Petroleum Resources (6th).
The monarch seeks the court’s declaration that the exclusion of the Ekpetiama Kingdom from the divestment process violated their right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), a principle recognised under international law, thereby rendering the divestment legally flawed.
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In an interview with journalists, King Dakolo said the legal action was necessitated by Shell’s disregard for environmental damage in his kingdom and its divestment move that threatens his people’s survival. He added that life expectancy in the area has dropped to 40 years, with cancer cases now prevalent according to medical records.
