The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have clashed in court over allegations surrounding the quality and distribution of propane, with the dispute centring on the regulator’s directive to suspend propane loading and truck-out operations at the refinery.
The face-off came to a head at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, where NMDPRA urged the court to discharge an interim order restraining it from enforcing the suspension, while Dangote accused the regulator of abusing its powers.
The court had on August 31 restrained NMDPRA, its officers, agents and representatives from entering, sealing, shutting down, restricting access to, obstructing, suspending, disrupting, inspecting, supervising or sanctioning the refinery’s operations pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.
NMDPRA, through its counsel, Matthew Burkaa, told the court that the interim order had been obtained through alleged misrepresentation and suppression of material facts.
The regulator also challenged the jurisdiction of Justice Akintayo Aluko to grant the order, arguing that the refinery had not filed the required motion on notice when its ex-parte application was heard.
