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Otedola Vs Obaigbena: Crude oil cargo owned by General Hydrocarbons arrested
The legal tussle between Femi Otedola’s First Bank and Nduka Obaigbena’s General Hydrocarbons Limited has intensified.
In the latest development, the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an order to arrest and detain the crude oil cargo on board the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Vessel Tamara Tokoni.
A report by PREMIUM TIMES said that personnel of the Nigerian Navy had since detained the cargo in line with the court order.
The FPSO on board vessel Tamara Tokoni belongs to General Hydrocarbons, an oil servicing firm owned mainly by Mr Obaigbena, who also serves as Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY and ARISE Media Group.
The businessman’s oil firm and First Bank are locked in a knotty legal conflict over credit facilities his company took, which the bank claimed missed several repayment deadlines.
First Bank is claiming $225.8 million, which it said is the indebtedness on General Hydrocarbons‘ account with the lender as of 30 September 2024.
The 9 January ruling by Justice E.A. Obile ordered the detention of the crude oil cargo on board FPSO Tamara Tokoni pending the provision of a “satisfactory Guarantee from a first-class Nigerian Bank of $19.7 million plus interest and costs by the said Defendants…”
The order also directed officers of the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the Harbour Master of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to provide the necessary assistance in implementing the order of arrest of the FPSO Vessel Tamara Tokoni.
The judge also ordered the security officials to take necessary steps, including providing “regular patrols and surveillance around the cargo of crude oil to prevent General Hydrocarbons Limited from dissipation until the Order of this Court has been complied with in respect of the arrest of the FPSO on board Tamara Tokoni.”
The court then adjourned the matter to 9 February 2025 for a continuation of the substantive suit.
In a subsequent letter to the Chief of Naval Staff, the Federal High Court sought the Nigerian Navy’s assistance executing the court order to arrest and detain the crude cargo on board FPSO Tamara Tokoni.
● Background
First Bank Vs General Hydrocarbons
First Bank had filed a debt recovery suit against Mr Obaigbena and his family members, including Efe Damilola Obaigbena and Olabisi Eka Obaigbena, saying they used their oil company General Hydrocarbons Limited to amass millions of dollars in debt.
The bank secured an order from the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, blocking the accounts and assets of Mr Obaigbena, his company and those of his two daughters holding directorship roles on the board of General Hydrocarbons in all commercial banks in Nigeria.
General Hydrocarbons issued a statement through Abiodun Layonu & Co, its solicitors, describing the order obtained by First Bank as an “abuse of court process.”
The lawyers called attention to a previous order granted by Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa of the same court on 12 December 2024, prohibiting First Bank from hindering General Hydrocarbons from accessing loan facilities or funding required for the exploration and operation of oil and mining lease (OML) 120.
Both parties had entered into a loan agreement requiring the lender to finance the running of OML 120, with the understanding that they would share any profit from the investment equally.
General Hydrocarbons alleged that First Bank had breached some of the facility’s terms, including not disbursing the credit on time.
According to a document seen by PREMIUM TIMES, General Hydrocarbons also obtained an injunction from the judge, restraining First Bank from hindering the company from “making any calls or demands, or taking any steps whatsoever to enforce any security, receivables, instrument, finance documents or assets of the applicant which have been charged as security for the facility agreements in respect of the applicant’s operation of OML 120.”
In their statement, General Hydrocarbons remarked that First Bank has persisted in ignoring and disobeying a persisting court judgement and has chosen to mislead the public.
But First Bank denied breaching any court order, saying the assets freezing order it obtained did not violate the court’s earlier ruling in favour of General Hydrocarbons.
Premium times
President Bola Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion.
He also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
This was announced on Friday in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The ₦68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt service.
It allocates ₦15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.
“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.
The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” the statement read in part.
The President also has assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
The extension, the statement revealed, would ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.
It will enable ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure. With the 2026 Appropriation Act coming into force on April 1, the Federal Government will commence full implementation in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda,” it added.
Additionally, President Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with a strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.
He commended the National Assembly for its diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.
The President reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the executive and legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives.
Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms.
The budget is also expected to be partly financed through external borrowing, following the approval of a foreign loan plan exceeding $21 billion to bridge the fiscal gap.
₦9.85trn Increase
The 2026 budget represents an increase of ₦9.85 trillion over the initial proposal of ₦58.47 trillion that Tinubu submitted to the National Assembly, and ₦13.33 trillion higher than the 2025 budget.
The President had while presenting the 2025 budget proposal before federal lawmakers in December 2025, pegged the capital expenditure at ₦26.08 trillion and the crude oil benchmark at US$64.85 per barrel.
He disclosed that the expected total revenue was ₦34.33 trillion; ₦15.52 trillion for debt servicing.
The proposal was anchored on a crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, and an exchange rate of ₦1,400 to the US Dollar for the 2026 fiscal year.
Amid the growing concerns over insecurity across the country, Tinubu said his administration would “invest in security with clear accountability for outcomes—because security spending must deliver security results”.
“We will take decisive steps to strengthen agricultural markets. Food security is national security.
“The 2026 budget prioritises input financing and mechanisation; irrigation and climate‑resilient agriculture; storage and processing; and agro‑value chains,” he told the National Assembly members.
Nigeria’s budgets in recent years have come under fire with experts critcising the poor implementation and release of funds for the execution of important national projects.
But the Tinubu administration said that the 2026 national budget was well-planned to solidify the gains of its reform agenda.
“Our ‘Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity’ is critical. It is a commitment to double down on what is working, to solidify gains, and to ensure that the shared prosperity we speak of becomes a lived reality for more Nigerians, faster,” Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said in a statement.
Popular sports broadcast journalist with Classic FM 97.3, Temisan Okomi, has died.
A journalist with News Central, Olawale Adigun, confirmed his death in a statement shared on X on Friday.
He wrote on X, “The worst way to go into the weekend is hearing about Temisan Okomi’s passing. I’m so gutted and, at the same time, terrified. This man meant so much to me.”
Recall that news of his death has since stirred reactions on X, with colleagues and fans expressing shock and grief.
The late journalist had worked with Lagos Television, HiTV, and other prominent media organizations in Nigeria.
His last post on X was on April 14, 2026, when he wrote, “The Champions League is hard, man.”
Ibrahim Abdulkarim, a political associate of ex-governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has claimed that the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has agreed to deputize the Obi in the 2027 presidential race.
He spoke during an interview on Trust TV, said the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are already aligning towards Obi/Kwankwaso ticket.
Asked if Obi and Kwankwaso had struck a deal, Abdulkarim said “yes, I can categorically tell you that they have agreed”.
We all know that. Both the Obidients and the Kwankwassiyya Movements are aware of the agreement”.
Recall that Kwankwaso recently decamped from the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
His move stirred suspicion that the two political gladiators may have agreed to run for the 2027 presidency on a single ticket.
Just in: Tinubu assents 2026 Appropriation Bill, 2025 Budget Extension
BREAKING: Popular sports analystt, Okomi is dead
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