A Lagos State High Court judge has reportedly granted United Bank for Africa three interim measures in a petroleum cargo dispute, with the quoted ruling applying only to Vitol SA.
Premium Times and TheCable reported that Justice K. A. Jose approved three requests in the bank’s application. Their accounts quote Jose as saying, “Prayers 1–3 are granted as prayed against the 2nd Respondent only.” The outlets identify Vitol as that respondent.
The reports describe measures to keep assets from being dissipated and limit transactions involving funds up to the disputed amount. Four shipping companies also appear in coverage as involved in the dispute, but the quoted wording identifies only the second respondent as subject to the granted prayers.
UBA alleges that it arranged a letter of credit for Vitol and that bills of lading were endorsed to the bank’s order. Premium Times and TheCable cited an affidavit in which Anthony Chilaka, who leads UBA’s recoveries and remedial management group, said the bank still had not taken possession of the gasoil once the voyage had ended. UBA is pursuing claims including conversion, misrepresentation and negligence, according to the reports.
Premium Times and THISDAY reported that the application cited 34 financial institutions and public agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority and Nigeria Customs Service. Premium Times and THISDAY said the filing invoked “Order 43 Rule 1 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019” and “Lagos State High Court Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019.”
Coverage differs on the claim’s amount and currency: Premium Times and THISDAY report $242 million, while TheCable gives 242 million naira. The measures are described as interim; the reports do not present them as a resolution of UBA’s underlying claims.
