WTF : Matrix Energy Drags Warri Chief To Court Over Alleged Obstruction of Operations

A major Tank firm Owner and operator, MATRIX ENERGY LIMITED has dragged Warri based lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Robinson Oritsemuminogho Ariyo before the Federal High Court in Warri over allegations that the human rights lawyer is obstructing the operation of the company in its location in Ifie-Kporo, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta Sate of Nigeria.

The suit whose particulars are NO: FHC/WR/CS/ 102 /2017 is between the said company as Plaintiff and Chief Robinson Ariyo as Defendant and was commenced by a Writ of Summons which
has since been served on the Defendant.

It would be recalled that following the incident of the tanker explosion in Ubeji, some residents lost their property and source of livelihood, the victims and well-meaning Deltans called on the government but their calls fell on deaf ears, which prompted some concerned stakeholders from Ubeji, Iffie, Egbokodo areas to seek redress in court, due to the biased approach of the tank farm owners in alleviating the untold hardship brought upon the victims of tanker explosion in Ubeji and the government lopsided approach in such a critical issue as to the safety of the people resident in those community.

When contacted, Chief Ariyo confirmed and disclosed that he has already filed his defence in preparedness to redress the defamation of his character by the Plaintiff in the case.

The Plaintiff is by its suit challenging the right of the Defendant to question its operation and it also seeks to restrain the Defendant from disrupting its operations.

The Plaintiff also alleged that the Defendant has been disrupting its operation with the aid of thugs.

Chief Ariyo however contended: “the said suit is calculated to unjustifiably defame my hard earned character and I am prepared, able and very willing to protect myself with the legal tools available to me in the circumstances”

It would be recalled that a couple of weeks ago some residents of the cluster of communities in the area of operation of the company who are clients to Chief Ariyo had caused a pre-action to be issued and served on the Federal Government Agencies in charge of the supervision of the operations of tank farms in the area and over what they described as breach of safety guidelines and regulations.

The company by the said suit is accusing Chief Robinson Oritsemuminogho Ariyo of threatening its operations in an illegal manner.

The plot thickens, as the tank-farm owners are trying to turn the story on its head, but the people of Ubeji, Egbokodo and Iffie communities are watching this drama from the standpoint of the victims/residents.