A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has dismissed General Hydrocarbons Limited’s request to serve court orders on the Nigerian Navy and other authorities regarding the detention of crude oil cargo aboard the FPSO Tamara Tokoni.

Justice E.A. Obile ruled on May 7, 2025, that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the motion because an appeal had already been filed at the Court of Appeal.

“The court is functus officio in view of the fact that the appeal in the matter has been entered at the Court of Appeal,” the judge stated in court documents seen by Premium Times.General Hydrocarbons, owned by Nduka Obaigbena, chairman of THISDAY Group, had sought to compel the Deputy Chief Registrar to serve court orders that would lift the detention of its crude oil cargo seized by the Nigerian Navy.

However, the dismissal means the oil cargo remains detained.The legal dispute stems from a Mareva injunction First Bank of Nigeria Limited obtained in December 2024, freezing assets worth $225.8 million linked to General Hydrocarbons due to an alleged debt.

First Bank has appealed court rulings that previously favored General Hydrocarbons and insists the crude oil cargo remains under arrest.In a statement, First Bank expressed its disagreement with the ruling, calling it “a miscarriage of justice.”

The bank also noted that the court classified the case as a debt recovery matter rather than a maritime claim, influencing the decision.This latest development marks a continued legal battle as both parties maintain their appeals in higher courts.