A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the commencement of a wind-up proceeding against oil firm, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited, which acquired OML 29 oil bloc in Bayelsa State from Shell Petroleum Development Company in 2015.
The order comes following the company’s inability to pay a debt of N259m owed a Port Harcourt, Rivers State-based firm, Charlietam International Services Limited, between December 2017 and March 2019.
The order of the Federal High Court contained in a document seen by SaharaReporters, was filed by one of Aiteo’s contractors, through its solicitors, Anthony Enyindah, Victor Okezie and Dr Dickson Omukoro of Ntephe Smith & Wills.
The petitioner is praying the court to wind-up the company on grounds of insolvency pursuant to sections 408 and 409(a) of the Company and Allied Matters Act.
In a six paragraph affidavit verifying the petition, Mr Unye Micah, Managing Director of Charlietam International Services Limited, affirmed that between December 2017 to March 2019, his company rendered services valued at ₦265m and was only paid the sum of ₦6m without payment advice, leaving an outstanding balance of N259m.
The petitioner averred that several demand letters, including those from the petitioner’s solicitors were sent to the company’s Abuja and Lagos addresses, but as usual Aiteo refused or failed to respond to any of the letters.
In the said letter, the petitioners demanded to be paid the amount owed and informed Aiteo of an impending legal action.
The petitioner also alleged that Aiteo was indebted to several of its local contractors despite repeated demands.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the petition expected to generate a lot of interest in the local and international oil community.
