Malabu legal action escalates as the oil firm demands an apology and correction over alleged inaccuracies in an OPL 245 report

Malabu Oil & Gas Limited has threatened legal action against The Africa Report magazine over an article the company described as misleading and inaccurate, demanding an unreserved apology and correction within seven days.

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The company made its position known in a letter signed by Joseph Amaran and addressed to Nicholas Norbrook and Patrick Smith of The Africa Report, a publication owned by Jeune Afrique Media Group and based in Paris, France.

The disputed article, titled “Malabu Court Action Clouds Tinubu Resolved OPL 245”, was said by Malabu to contain factual errors regarding the company, ongoing litigation linked to Oil Prospecting Licence 245 (OPL 245), and the role of former Petroleum Minister Chief Dan Etete.

In the letter, Malabu argued that the publication wrongly used the image and name of Chief Dan Etete, insisting that he is not part of the company’s current management, ownership structure, or legal representation.

The company described the portrayal as a serious misrepresentation capable of damaging both Etete’s reputation and the integrity of Malabu Oil & Gas Limited.

“It is our position that the inclusion of his likeness and name implies an association with both the suit and Malabu Oil & Gas Limited that is entirely misleading,” the letter stated.

A key aspect of the dispute centres on claims that Malabu had instituted legal proceedings against the Federal Government of Nigeria over OPL 245.

Malabu firmly rejected that assertion, stating that it is not currently involved in any court action against the government.

According to the company, the legal proceedings referenced in the article were initiated by individuals it described as impostors who falsely claim legitimate interests in the oil block dispute.

The company urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the matter and take appropriate action to protect what it called the interests of legitimate stakeholders.

The letter further called on The Africa Report to review the sources used for the story and issue corrections to what Malabu considers inaccurate claims.

In a decisive warning, the company said failure to publish an unreserved apology within seven days would leave it with no option but to pursue legal redress.

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The development adds a fresh dimension to the long-running controversies surrounding OPL 245, one of Nigeria’s most scrutinised oil assets, while raising renewed questions about reporting standards and source verification in high-profile legal disputes.