- Court Voids Interim Orders in Techno Oil Suit Over Fair Hearing Breach.
- Judge cites non disclosure and fair hearing breach.
- Case reassigned after judge withdraws from proceedings.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has set aside the proceedings of November 21, 2025, in the suit filed as Collins Onyeweama and another v. Techno Oil Limited and others, nullifying all interim orders issued on that date.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a ruling delivered on December 24, 2025, Justice Ayokunle Faji held that the steps taken by the court on November 21 breached the respondents’ constitutional right to a fair hearing.
The judge ruled that the interim Mareva orders granted that day were issued based on material non disclosure and misrepresentation by the petitioners and their legal team.
The orders were obtained through an ex parte application in which the petitioners alleged that assets linked to the first respondent were being moved beyond reach. The court heard the application without notifying the respondents or their lawyers, despite the fact that all parties were already represented in the matter.
Court records showed that the case was last heard on November 7, 2025, and adjourned to December 11, 2025, for an update on settlement discussions.
Following the issuance of the interim orders, counsel to the respondents filed separate applications challenging the orders, citing lack of jurisdiction and a violation of their right to fair hearing.
Senior advocates, including Professor Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, alongside other counsel, appeared for the respondents and parties seeking to be bound by the orders.
They argued that the petitioners failed to inform the court that Exhibit 25, which formed the basis of the Mareva application, had already been filed about two months earlier in a motion on notice. Instead, the information was presented as fresh evidence.
Justice Faji agreed, stating that had the court been properly informed, the ex parte application would not have been granted
Consequently, the court voided the November 21 proceedings and all orders made that day. Justice Faji also recused himself from further handling of the matter to preserve confidence in the judicial process and directed that the case file be forwarded to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another judge in the Lagos Division.
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