By Hassan Zaggi
Matrix Energy Limited, an indigenous oil company, has approached the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court seeking for N20 billion as damages over reports linking it to alleged importation of low-grade fuel from Malta to Nigeria.
The company and its Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Abdulkadir Adisa Aliu, are the plaintiffs in the suits number CV/3718/2024 and CV/3719/2024.
In a suit filed by their counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, the plaintiffs are praying the court for an order restraining the two media houses from further publishing libelous reports against them.
The company and its CEO are seeking N10 billion each as damages from the two media houses and an additional N200 million as the cost of filing the suit.
According to the suit numbered CV/3718/2024, the report titled, ‘From Russia to Malta: How Matrix Energy imports dirty petrol’, alleged that the oil company had been importing substandard petroleum products from Malta, a country with no known oil refineries.
Denying the allegation, the plaintiffs asked the court for a declaration that the publications made by the defendants on August 17, 2024, is false, malicious, libelous and defamatory.
They also asked for an order compelling the defendants to forthwith delete or cause to be deleted the libelous/defamatory words contained in the publications, as well as an order compelling the defendants to immediately and wholly retract the libelous/defamatory words contained in their publications.
In the same vein, the plaintiffs are asking the court to order the defendants to tender an unreserved apology over the publications.
In addition to seeking the sum of N10 billion as damages, the plaintiffs also asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing libelous or any other defamatory words/stories about them.
The plaintiffs informed the court that the reports published by the defendants “deliberately, carelessly, intentionally and maliciously” portrayed them as conniving with economic enemies of Nigeria to import adulterated, substandard/low quality petroleum products into the country.
It would be recalled that Matrix Oil Limited has earlier, in a statement by its Spokesman, Ibrahim Akinola, denied reports linking it to the importation of petrol from Malta to Nigeria.
