Matrix Energy Limited, a prominent indigenous oil company, has filed a lawsuit in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, demanding ₦20 billion in damages for reports linking the company to the importation of low-grade fuel from Malta to Nigeria.
The plaintiffs, including the company's CEO, Alhaji Abdulkadir Adisa Aliu, are also seeking an order to prevent further publication of what they describe as libelous reports.
The legal action, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Ahmed Raji, encompasses suits CV/3718/2024 and CV/3719/2024.
The company and its CEO are seeking N10 billion each as damages from the two media houses and an additional N200 million as the cost of filing the suit.
According to the suit numbered CV/3718/2024, the report titled, ‘From Russia to Malta: How Matrix Energy imports dirty petrol’, alleged that the oil company had been importing substandard petroleum products from Malta, a country with no known oil refineries.
Denying the allegation, the plaintiffs asked the court for a declaration that the publications made by the defendants on August 17, 2024, is false, malicious, libelous, and defamatory.
They also asked for an order compelling the defendants to forthwith delete or cause to be deleted the libelous/defamatory words contained in the publications, as well as an order compelling the defendants to immediately and wholly retract the libelous/defamatory words contained in their publications.