Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited (also known as Seplat Energy Plc) and 12 senior officials of the company have been dragged to court by the Federal Government of Nigeria for alleged tax evasion amounting to the sum of $37.5 million, The Witness reports.

The 12 officials of the oil firm listed in the suit are: Roger Brown (CEO), Samson Ezugworie (COO/ED0; Eleanor Adaralegbe (CFO/ED); Effiong Okon (MD, ANOH Gas); Ayodele Olatunde (MD, Seplat West); Obi Ada Itotoi (MD, Seplat East); Pius Ozoemenah Udeh (MD, Elcrest); Edith Owuchekwa (Company Secretary); Chioma Yvonne Afe (Dir. External Affairs); Okechukwu Mba (Dir. New Energy); Alasdair Mackenzie (Dir. Strategy & Planning) and Steve Ojeh (Dir. Corporate Services).

In the Suit No: FHC/L/ 982C/24, filed before the Federal High Court, Lagos division by the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on behalf of the federal government, it was alleged that Seplat Petroleum and 12 of its officials, sometime in 2010, in Nigeria did purchase a participating interest in the producing assets of OML 4, OML 38 and OML 41 and failed or evaded to pay the statutory stamp duty imposed on the Purchase Agreement and the accruing interest in the sum of $37,581,083.40 to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The FIRS alleged that by evading the said tax, the company and its officials committed an offence, contrary to S. 23 of the Stamp Duties Act and punishable under S.111 and 112 of the Stamp Duties Act (as amended).

The defendants were also alleged to have counterfeited the seal of the Commissioner of Stamp Duties by inserting same on the purchase agreement of OML 4, OML 38, and OML 41.

The five count charge filed before the court by the FIRS against Seplat Petroleum and its officials are:

COUNT 1: That you SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD, ROGER BROWN, SAMSON EZUGWORIE, ELEANOR ADARALEGBE,EFFIONG OKON, AYODELE OLATUNDE, IBI ADA ITOTOI, PIUS OZOEMENAM UDEH, EDITH ONWUCHEKWA, CHIOMA YVONNE AFE.OKECHUKWU MBA, ALASDAIR MACKENZIE and STEVE OJEH, sometime in 2010, in Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did purchase a participating interest in the producing assets of OML 4, OML 38 and OML 4I and failed or evaded to pay the statutory stamp duty imposed on the executed Purchase Agreement and the accruing interest in the sum of $37,581,083.40 (Thirty seven million, live hundred and eighty one thousand, eighty three dollars and forty cents only) a sum due and payable to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to S. 23 of the Stamp Duties Act and punishable under S.111 and 112 of the Stamp Duties Act (as amended).

COUNT 2: That you SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED, ROGER BROWN, SAMSON EZUGWORIE, ELEANOR ADARALEGBE,EFFIONG OKON, AYODELE OLATUNDE, IBI ADA ITOTOI, PIUS OZOEMENAM UDEH, EDITH ONWUCHEKWA, CHIOMA YVONNE AFE.OKECHUKWU MBA, ALASDAIR MACKENZIE and STEVE OJEH, sometime in 2010, in Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did purchase a participating interest in the producing assets of OML 4, OML 38 and OML 41 and did unlawfully and willfully evade the payment and remittance of duties, fines, penalties and debts due to the Government of the Federation imposed on the executed Purchase Agreement to acquire Oil Mining Lease 4, 38 and 41, in the sum of $37,581,083.40 (Thirty seven million, five hundred and eighty one thousand and forty cents only) and in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under S. 111 and 112 of the Stamp Duties Act (as amended).

COUNT 3: That you SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED, ROGER BROWN, SAMSON EZUGWORIE, ELEANOR ADARALEGBE, EFFIONG OKON, AYODELE OLATUNDE, IBI ADA ITOTOI, PIUS OZOEMENAM UDEH, EDITH ONWUCHEKWA, CHIOMA YVONNE AFE, OKECHUKWU MBA, ALASDAIR MACKENZIE and STEVE OJEH, sometime in 2010, in Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did purchase a participating interest in the producing assets of OML 4, OML 38 the executed Purchase Agreements and the accruing interest in the sum of S eighty three dollars and forty cents only), a sum due and payable to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in so doing, committed an offence contrary to and punishable under S. 32 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

COUNT 4: That you SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED, ROGER BROWN, SAMSON EZUGWORIE, ELEANOR ADARALEGBE, EFFIONG OKON, AYODELE OLATUNDE, IBI ADA ITOTOI, PIUS OZOEMENAM UDEH, EDITH ONWUCHEKWA, CHIOMA YVONNE AFE, OKECHUKWU MBA, ALASDAIR MACKENZIE and STEVE OJEH, sometime in 2010, in Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did purchase a participating interest in the producing assets of OML 4, OML 38and OML 41 and failed or evaded to pay the statutory stamp duty imposed on the executed Purchase Agreement and the accruing interest in the sum of $37,581,083.40 (thirty seven million1, five hundred and eighty one thousand, eighty three dollars and forty cents only a sum due and payable to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in so doing, committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under S.40 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

COUNT 5: That you SEPLATPETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LIMITED, ROGER BROWN, SAMSON EZUGWORIE, ELEANOR ADARALEGBE, EFFIONG OKON, AYODELE OLATUNDE, IBI ADA ITOTOI, PIUS OZOEMENAM UDEH, EDITH ONWUCHEKWA, CHIOMA YVONNE AFE, OKECHUKWU MBA and STEVE OJEH on or about 2010 in Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did counterfeit the seal of the Commissioner of Stamp Duties by inserting same on the purchase agreement of OML 4, OML 38 and OML 41, for the purposes of verification relating to the taxes thereat and thereby committed an offence, contrary to S.43 (c) and punishable under S.43 ( c) of the Federal Inland Revenue Establishment Act 2007 (as amended).

When contacted, Chioma Afe, Director, External Affairs and Sustainability, Seplat Energy, told The Witness via a text message that “The matter is in court and as such we cannot comment on it. Further information will be shared at an appropriate time as needed,”

Meanwhile, the matter has been fixed for February 28, 2025 for trial.