The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Chief of Naval Staff have been ordered to release a seized Vessel, MV Blue Shark, to its Nigerian owners.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, made the order sequel to a peaceful resolution of all issues that led to the seizure of the vessel belonging to Streamflow Global Services and Jerusalem Obokeno.
The vessel was arrested and detained alongside its crew on May 6 while returning from Gabon to Warri in Delta State to carry out repair works. The seizure later led to the filing of a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/639/2024, by a SAN, Reuben Okpanachi Atabo, on behalf of the vessel owners.
Aside their prayers for the release of the vessel, the owners also asked for a sum of N500 million as damages to be paid to them for the unlawful arrest and detention of the vessel. However, at the proceedings yesterday, Atabor informed Nwite that the parties in the matter had amicably settled during a round table discussion and those terms of settlement had been drawn up for execution.
The senior lawyer also said the parties agreed that pending the execution of the terms of the settlement, the vessel should be released to the owners.
