15 April 2026: The Federal High Court in Abuja discharged the ex parte orders it had made on 25 February 2026 and 2 March 2026 that had restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from investigating alleged criminal infractions tied to the nestoil Group of Companies, including Amaranta Oil and Gas Development Limited and Jonescreek Hydrocarbons Limited.
Federal High Court 15 April 2026
25 February 2026: The court originally issued an ex parte order in the Jonescreek matter on this date that barred the EFCC from probing Jonescreek, an action that temporarily halted investigative steps the agency may have been taking against the firm and related Nestoil affiliates.
Amaranta and Jonescreek Orders
2 March 2026: The court also granted an ex parte order in the Amaranta matter on this date restraining the EFCC from investigating Amaranta; Amaranta and Jonescreek had sought those orders to restrain the EFCC and to prevent Nestoil and Neconde lenders from writing petitions or reporting alleged criminal infractions to the EFCC.
EFCC Substantive Hearing 26 May 2026
3 March 2026: The EFCC filed a motion on notice dated 3 March 2026 and, after filing the motion in court on 10 March 2026, asked the court to set aside the 2 March ex parte order; the court ordered that the interim order made on 2 March 2026 be rescinded, vacated, and set aside, a step that directly reopens the path for the EFCC to pursue its inquiries.
26 May 2026: The substantive case was adjourned to 26 May 2026; until that hearing the EFCC may proceed with investigatory actions that had been paused, while the two companies named — Amaranta and Jonescreek — remain subject to resumed scrutiny and potential legal follow-on from the multiple corporate and lender defendants listed in court documents, which include FBNQuest Limited, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Access Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Africa Finance Corporation, Glencore Energy Limited, Hydeco Energy Services Limited, Nestoil Limited and Neconde Energy Limited.
