he Nigerian judiciary is again at the centre of a major scandal after an allegation of bribery to pervert justice was linked to the Chief Judge of Nigeria’s Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho.
SaharaReporters learnt that Justice Tsoho was accused of planning to secretly reassign a major lawsuit involving Nestoil Limited and Neconde Energy Limited after being allegedly compromised by the companies’ management, led by billionaire businessman Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi.
It was alleged that the Chief Judge had pressured Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Lagos High Court, who is the presiding judge in the case, to deliver a ruling favourable to Nestoil and its affiliate companies. However, Justice Dipeolu insisted on resolving the case based on its merits.
The case revolves around the enforcement of a debt claim filed by FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and First Trustees Limited against Nestoil Limited, its sister company Neconde Energy Limited, and their principal promoters, Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi and Nnenna Obiejesi.
In October 2025, Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, granted a far-reaching Mareva injunction restraining Nestoil, Neconde Energy, and their directors from disposing of or interfering with their assets pending the final determination of the substantive suit.
The court also ordered the freezing of the defendants’ bank accounts and shares held across more than 20 banks and financial institutions, including Citibank Nigeria, GTBank, Stanbic IBTC, Polaris Bank, Providus Bank, Fidelity Bank, and the Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS).
Additionally, Justice Dipeolu appointed Abubakar Sulu-Gambari (SAN) as Receiver/Manager to take possession of Nestoil’s corporate headquarters located at 41/42 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, along with other identified assets owned by the company and its subsidiaries.
The court further directed the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Navy, and the State Security Service (SSS) to assist in enforcing the takeover order.
Justice Dipeolu also mandated the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to grant the Receiver access to Nestoil’s participating interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42, which the company jointly operates with NNPCL.
Top sources familiar with the case told SaharaReporters that when Justice Dipeolu refused to compromise on the matter and went ahead to issue a ruling based on merit, the Chief Judge, Tsoho, became furious and began plotting to have the case withdrawn from Dipeolu’s court.
“Justice Tsoho was not happy that Dipeolu refused to comply with his instruction to tilt the ruling in favour of Nestoil. After Dipeolu went ahead to issue his ruling, Nestoil allegedly paid a bribe to Tsoho, and he advised Ernest Obiejesi to write a formal petition against Dipeolu. The petition would then serve as the pretext for reassigning the case to one of his loyal judges, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa,” a top source familiar with the development told SaharaReporters.
Documents seen by SaharaReporters on Friday include copies of Justice Dipeolu’s ruling, the petition written by Obiejesi, and a request from Nestoil’s lawyers seeking enforcement support.
Insiders at the Federal High Court described the move as a “classic case manipulation scheme designed to punish a judge for independence and merit as well as reward a litigant for bribery.”
In the petition dated October 31, 2025, and addressed to the Chief Judge, Azudialu-Obiejesi accused Justice Dipeolu of bias and misconduct in several suits involving his companies — Nestoil Limited, Neconde Energy Limited, and himself personally.
“It is with grave concern that I address this petition to your lordship against the judicial conduct of Hon. Justice D. I. Dipeolu and the obvious bias he has exhibited in the conduct of our matters before him, which has put us under an inescapable conclusion that our companies and us cannot obtain justice in his court,” Azudialu-Obiejesi wrote.
The petition, obtained by SaharaReporters, accused Justice Dipeolu of granting “far-reaching and stifling” ex-parte orders against Nestoil and its affiliates in favour of FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and other plaintiffs in cases tied to disputed loan facilities and receivership actions.
Azudialu-Obiejesi wrote, “It is therefore with a great sense of responsibility and grave concern that I address this petition to your lordship against the judicial conduct of Hon. Justice D. I. Dipeolu, and the obvious bias he has exhibited in the conduct of our matters before him which has put us under an inescapable conclusion that our companies and us can not obtain justice in his court as can be demonstrated below:
“(a) In suit No. FHC/L/CP/1439/2025 between Aries Energy & Petroleum Company Limited, v. Neconde Energy Limited Gobowen Exploration Limited, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi and Bridge H&T Limited, Justice Dipeolu had frivolously and improperly exercised and abused his judicial discretion granted far reaching and styfling ex-parte Mareva orders against our Companies sued as Defendants especially Neconde Energy Limited and Gobowen Exploration and Production Limited based on a purported share sale transaction involving some individuals that were not even listed as parties to the suit and Bridge H&T Limited. Despite the absence of privity established against our two companies, the judge made these offensive orders in July which lasted till September 2025 before it was vacated.
“Again, despite our demonstration that the the ex-parte orders which was granted in the suit commenced as a winding up action was made contrary to the provision of the mandatory provisions of Rules 4 and 183 of the Companies Winding Up Rules and the notorious Supreme Court decision in HONEYWELL FLOOR MILLS PLAC V ECOBANK NIGERIA LTD (2016) LPELR-4122 where the Supreme Court pronounced that no ex parte motion or orders of that nature should be made against the assets or interest of a company undergoing a winding up proceedings.
“Again, despite the judges finding that a major plank of the action was a claim for USD$158 Million over for contractual debt arising from a simple contractual transaction as constituted under a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (SSPA) which the Judge recognized as a simple contract in his Ruling thus making the affected claims fall outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and a matter for the High Court of a State, the judge still assumed jurisdiction over the matter. Lastly, despite the glaring fact supported by documents exhibited that the alleged breach of the terms of the shareholders contract had arisen since 2016 while the suit was only filed in 2025 (a period of about 9 years afterward) making the shareholders’ winding up petition predicated on breaches of the terms of the shareholders contract /agreement statute barred, the judge in its ruling surprisingly held that the action was not statute barred and thereby retained the matter in his court necessitating our appealing the decision on multiple grounds at the Court of Appeal, Lagos zone.
“(b) In the more recent suit No. FIIC/L/CS/2127/2025 between FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited & Anor v. Nestoil Limited, Neconde Energy Limited Dr Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi & Ors which came up before the same judge, he had made again even made more far reaching, sweeping and styfling orders of Mareva injunction against the same Neconde Energy Limited, Nestoil, my self and my wife, at the instance of the Plaintiffs in the instant proceedings. On the papers exhibited in the motion ex parte of the Plaintiffs, it was very clear that the appointment of Receivers / Manager over Neconde Energy Limited was wrongly made by the Plaintiffs (purporting to act as Facility Agent and Trustees to the syndicated lenders of Nestoil) who had no such right given that the charge of the Nestoil’s lenders over the assets and properties of Neconde was junior and subordinated to the first ranking charge granted by Neconde to the Neconde’s syndicate of lenders that gave it credit facilities which sull has about USD$500 Million balance and thus yet to be liquidated…
“We do not believe that we can obtain justice from the learned Judge in the circumstances as his manifested bias and partiality against us too glaring and obvious. Even if the judge in question is not convinced at this point that he is biased; he should be reminded that appearance of bias is as serious as actual bias and should either voluntarily recuse himself from handling the instant case and indeed other cases involving our companies and us before his court presently.”
But sources within the judiciary dismissed Azudialu-Obiejesi’s claims as “manufactured complaints” deliberately designed by the Chief Judge’s office to justify the transfer of the case.
“The so-called petition was engineered by the Chief Judge himself,” another insider alleged.
“He needed a formal document to use as justification for reassigning the matter. The plan is to move the case to Justice Alagwa, who is seen as one of Tsoho’s loyalists and is known for taking instructions from the top.”
The controversial petition referenced multiple suits, including Suit No. FHC/L/CS/2127/2025 (FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited & Anor. v. Nestoil Limited & Ors), was where Justice Dipeolu made rulings that temporarily restrained Nestoil and Neconde from transferring or selling certain assets.
In the document, Obiejesi complained that Justice Dipeolu had shown “reckless bias,” alleging that all cases involving his companies “mysteriously find their way to the same judge.”
“There are over 12 judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos, but all my cases to fight the lenders are systematically assigned within 24 hours of filing and always heard the next day in his court. I have lost confidence in the court as he is motivated by extraordinary consideration,” Obiejesi stated in the petition.
However, judicial insiders pointed out that rather than the usual process of filing an appeal to challenge Justice Dipeolu’s rulings, the Chief Judge’s office was already preparing to invoke administrative powers to reassign the matter, an unusual and suspicious move that bypasses the Court of Appeal’s constitutional role.
“The question is: why is the Chief Judge entertaining a petition over a judge’s ruling instead of letting the aggrieved party appeal?” a senior judicial source queried. “That’s not normal. It’s a gross abuse of administrative authority and a signal that something else — likely money — is influencing the process.”
Several Federal High Court staff confirmed that Justice Tsoho and Ernest Obiejesi have maintained a close relationship for years.
“This is not the first time Tsoho has been linked to questionable reassignments,” another insider said.
“He uses petitions to justify moving politically or financially sensitive cases to judges that will deliver what he wants.”
Attempts by SaharaReporters to get the judge, Justice Tsoho to react to the allegations have not been successful as of press time as his number rang out.
It was alleged that the Chief Judge had pressured Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Lagos High Court, who is the presiding judge in the case, to deliver a ruling favourable to Nestoil and its affiliate companies. However, Justice Dipeolu insisted on resolving the case based on its merits.
The case revolves around the enforcement of a debt claim filed by FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and First Trustees Limited against Nestoil Limited, its sister company Neconde Energy Limited, and their principal promoters, Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi and Nnenna Obiejesi.
In October 2025, Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, granted a far-reaching Mareva injunction restraining Nestoil, Neconde Energy, and their directors from disposing of or interfering with their assets pending the final determination of the substantive suit.
The court also ordered the freezing of the defendants’ bank accounts and shares held across more than 20 banks and financial institutions, including Citibank Nigeria, GTBank, Stanbic IBTC, Polaris Bank, Providus Bank, Fidelity Bank, and the Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS).
Additionally, Justice Dipeolu appointed Abubakar Sulu-Gambari (SAN) as Receiver/Manager to take possession of Nestoil’s corporate headquarters located at 41/42 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, along with other identified assets owned by the company and its subsidiaries.
The court further directed the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Navy, and the State Security Service (SSS) to assist in enforcing the takeover order.
Justice Dipeolu also mandated the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to grant the Receiver access to Nestoil’s participating interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 42, which the company jointly operates with NNPCL.
Top sources familiar with the case told SaharaReporters that when Justice Dipeolu refused to compromise on the matter and went ahead to issue a ruling based on merit, the Chief Judge, Tsoho, became furious and began plotting to have the case withdrawn from Dipeolu’s court.
“Justice Tsoho was not happy that Dipeolu refused to comply with his instruction to tilt the ruling in favour of Nestoil. After Dipeolu went ahead to issue his ruling, Nestoil allegedly paid a bribe to Tsoho, and he advised Ernest Obiejesi to write a formal petition against Dipeolu. The petition would then serve as the pretext for reassigning the case to one of his loyal judges, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa,” a top source familiar with the development told SaharaReporters.
Documents seen by SaharaReporters on Friday include copies of Justice Dipeolu’s ruling, the petition written by Obiejesi, and a request from Nestoil’s lawyers seeking enforcement support.
Insiders at the Federal High Court described the move as a “classic case manipulation scheme designed to punish a judge for independence and merit as well as reward a litigant for bribery.”
In the petition dated October 31, 2025, and addressed to the Chief Judge, Azudialu-Obiejesi accused Justice Dipeolu of bias and misconduct in several suits involving his companies — Nestoil Limited, Neconde Energy Limited, and himself personally.
“It is with grave concern that I address this petition to your lordship against the judicial conduct of Hon. Justice D. I. Dipeolu and the obvious bias he has exhibited in the conduct of our matters before him, which has put us under an inescapable conclusion that our companies and us cannot obtain justice in his court,” Azudialu-Obiejesi wrote.
The petition, obtained by SaharaReporters, accused Justice Dipeolu of granting “far-reaching and stifling” ex-parte orders against Nestoil and its affiliates in favour of FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and other plaintiffs in cases tied to disputed loan facilities and receivership actions.
Azudialu-Obiejesi wrote, “It is therefore with a great sense of responsibility and grave concern that I address this petition to your lordship against the judicial conduct of Hon. Justice D. I. Dipeolu, and the obvious bias he has exhibited in the conduct of our matters before him which has put us under an inescapable conclusion that our companies and us can not obtain justice in his court as can be demonstrated below:
“(a) In suit No. FHC/L/CP/1439/2025 between Aries Energy & Petroleum Company Limited, v. Neconde Energy Limited Gobowen Exploration Limited, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi and Bridge H&T Limited, Justice Dipeolu had frivolously and improperly exercised and abused his judicial discretion granted far reaching and styfling ex-parte Mareva orders against our Companies sued as Defendants especially Neconde Energy Limited and Gobowen Exploration and Production Limited based on a purported share sale transaction involving some individuals that were not even listed as parties to the suit and Bridge H&T Limited. Despite the absence of privity established against our two companies, the judge made these offensive orders in July which lasted till September 2025 before it was vacated.
“Again, despite our demonstration that the the ex-parte orders which was granted in the suit commenced as a winding up action was made contrary to the provision of the mandatory provisions of Rules 4 and 183 of the Companies Winding Up Rules and the notorious Supreme Court decision in HONEYWELL FLOOR MILLS PLAC V ECOBANK NIGERIA LTD (2016) LPELR-4122 where the Supreme Court pronounced that no ex parte motion or orders of that nature should be made against the assets or interest of a company undergoing a winding up proceedings.
“Again, despite the judges finding that a major plank of the action was a claim for USD$158 Million over for contractual debt arising from a simple contractual transaction as constituted under a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement (SSPA) which the Judge recognized as a simple contract in his Ruling thus making the affected claims fall outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and a matter for the High Court of a State, the judge still assumed jurisdiction over the matter. Lastly, despite the glaring fact supported by documents exhibited that the alleged breach of the terms of the shareholders contract had arisen since 2016 while the suit was only filed in 2025 (a period of about 9 years afterward) making the shareholders’ winding up petition predicated on breaches of the terms of the shareholders contract /agreement statute barred, the judge in its ruling surprisingly held that the action was not statute barred and thereby retained the matter in his court necessitating our appealing the decision on multiple grounds at the Court of Appeal, Lagos zone.
party appeal?” a senior judicial source queried. “That’s not normal. It’s a gross abuse of administrative authority and a signal that something else — likely money — is influencing the process.”
Several Federal High Court staff confirmed that Justice Tsoho and Ernest Obiejesi have maintained a close relationship for years.
“This is not the first time Tsoho has been linked to questionable reassignments,” another insider said.
“He uses petitions to justify moving politically or financially sensitive cases to judges that will deliver what he wants.”
Attempts by SaharaReporters to get the judge, Justice Tsoho to react to the allegations have not been successful as of press time as his number rang out.
Credit: Sahara Reporters