The Nigerian judiciary is facing scrutiny after allegations emerged that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, may have been compromised in a high-profile case involving Nestoil Limited and Neconde Energy Limited.
Reports indicate that Justice Tsoho is accused of attempting to reassign the case from Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Lagos Federal High Court after the presiding judge refused to rule in favour of the companies. Justice Dipeolu had previously issued rulings based on merit, including a Mareva injunction in October 2025 that restrained Nestoil, Neconde, and their directors from disposing of or tampering with their assets, and froze bank accounts and shares across more than 20 financial institutions.
The case stems from a debt enforcement action initiated by FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited and First Trustees Limited against Nestoil, Neconde, and their principal promoters, Ernest and Nnenna Obiejesi. Justice Dipeolu also appointed Abubakar Sulu-Gambari (SAN) as Receiver/Manager over Nestoil’s corporate headquarters and directed relevant authorities, including the Nigeria Police, Navy, and State Security Service, to assist in enforcing the takeover.
Sources claim that after Justice Dipeolu refused to tilt his ruling in favour of Nestoil, Justice Tsoho allegedly advised Obiejesi to submit a formal petition against Dipeolu. The petition, dated October 31, 2025, accused Justice Dipeolu of bias and misconduct, highlighting ex-parte orders perceived to favour the plaintiffs. Obiejesi claimed that multiple cases involving his companies were repeatedly assigned to Dipeolu, raising concerns about judicial impartiality.
However, insiders within the judiciary described the petition as “manufactured,” suggesting it was orchestrated to justify transferring the case to Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, seen as loyal to the Chief Judge. Critics argue that bypassing the normal appellate process to reassign the matter constitutes a potential abuse of administrative authority.
This development has reignited debates about judicial independence and transparency, as the Nestoil/Neconde dispute continues to attract national attention.
The Chief Judge has not commented publicly on the allegations.
