Alleged Racism: Court Sacks Seplat CEO, restrains Board Chairman, Others

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has restrained the Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Roger Brown from parading himself as the firm’s CEO, pending the determination of a motion for interlocutory injunction.

The case was instituted against Mr Brown and others by aggrieved stakeholders of the company over allegations of racism, favouring of expatriate workers, discrimination against Nigerians, and breach of good governance.

The court also restrained the firm’s Chairman Of the Board of Directors, Basil Omiyi, and all the independent Non-Executive Directors under him from “continuing to run the affairs of Seplat in an illegal, unfair, prejudicial, and oppressive manner pending the hearing and determination of the Petitioners’ Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction”.

Justice Chukwuejekwu Aneke made the orders on Wednesday, while ruling on a Motion Exparte brought by the aggrieved stakeholders of the company.

The applicants/petitioners in the suit are; Moses Igbrude, Sarat Kudaisi, Kenneth Nnabike, Ajani Abidoye, and Robert Ibekwe. While Seplat Energy PLC, Roger Thompson Brown, and Basil Omiyi, were listed as respondents in the Suit marked FHC/L/402/2023.

Also, in a separate ex parte application, Justice Aneke granted the petitioners/applicants leave to serve their petition against the defendants, any order of court and all other processes to be issued subsequently in the matter on Mr Brown and Mr Omiyi by pasting them in the premises of Seplat Energy located at Ikoyi, Lagos.

The court adjourned to March 23, for hearing of the pending application.

The applicants had in their Motion on Notice filed by their lawyer, Jeph Njikonye (SAN), prayed the court for a declaration that the affairs of Seplat have been conducted in a manner that is illegal, oppressive and unfairly prejudicial to the petitioners and other members of Seplat as well as being in total disregard to the interest of the petitioners, other employees, and Seplat as a whole.

They equally seek a declaration that by condoning the unlawful, discriminatory, and abusive conducts of the CEO, Roger Brown, the Board Chairman, Basil Omiyi, and the Non-executive Directors have “failed in the discharge of their duties and are unfit to continue to function in the Board of Directors of the first respondent (Seplat).

Consequently, the Petitioners seek “An order of mandatory injunction restraining the second respondent (Brown), from parading himself as, or continuing to operate as the CEO of the 1st Respondent (Seplat) or working for Seplat in any other capacity”.

They equally seek an order restraining Seplat and the Board Chairman from retaining Mr Brown as the CEO of Seplat or retaining his services for Seplat in other capacity whatsoever.

To support their case, the aggrieved stakeholders attached among other exhibits, a petition to the Minister of Interior against Mr Brown written by employees of Seplat, as well as a letter by the Minister of Interior communicating the Ministry’s decision on the said petition to the company.

In the March 3, 2023 letter addressed to the Board Chairman of Seplat Energy PLC signed by one Akinola Adesina for the Honourable Minister, which was marked as Exhibit B, the Ministry had conveyed the revocation of Roger Brown’s Work Permit, Visa, and Residence Permit.

The letter reads: “I write to inform you that the Ministry is in receipt of a petition from the Solicitor to the concerned workers and stakeholders of Seplat Energy PLC accusing Mr. Rogers Thomson Brown, the CEO of the company of various allegations.

“These accusations include racism, favouring foreign workers and discriminating against Nigerian employees. Testimony was received from several witnesses, which supported the allegations. Mr. Roger T. Brown declined to attend despite two invitations, claiming to be unavailable even though we learnt he was in Abuja for other purposes at the time.

“Investigation and records in the Ministry also revealed that Mr. Roger Brown was in possession of CERPAC that was not based on validly issued Expatriate Quota approved by the Ministry of Interior resulting to the violation of relevant Immigration Laws and Regulations. As a result of these, the Honourable Minister has determined that Mr. Brown’s continued stay in Nigeria is contrary to national interest.

“Consequently, the Ministry has withdrawn the Work Permit CERPAC, Visa, Residence Permit and all relevant documents that authorized Mr. Roger Thomson Brown’s entry or stay in Nigeria.”