Ikechukwu Nnochiri
28 November 2011, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – The Nigerian government has granted 50 legal practitioners free scholarship into the Institute for Oil and Gas Law in Abuja, with a view to enhancing their knowledge on oil spillage litigation.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello (SAN), who is facilitating the training, said the lawyers were drawn from the Ministries of Justice in the 36 states and FCT, adding that additional slots were accorded oil-producing states of the Niger Delta.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, President of Institute for Oil and Gas Law, Mr Niyi Daniels, who made the disclosure, said the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the constitution review committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan, Justice Alfa Belgore, will flag off the training programme today.
He maintained that, “realising the significance that petroleum plays in shaping the economic and political destiny of the country, the AGF decided to develop the capacity of lawyers in his ministry to ensure that they are legally competent to give the best legal advise on oil and gas matters to government.”
According to him, upon graduation, the benefiting lawyers will henceforth assist the federal government in signing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with multi-national companies involved in oil exploration in the country, as well as, sue any of them found to have jeopardised the living condition of their host communities.
