General
P&ID: Abuja Court Orders Arrest of British National for Jumping Bail
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal High Court In Abuja has ordered the arrest of a British national, Mr James Nolan, for jumping bail.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the order after Mr Nolan, a director in the Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID), failed to appear for trial.
Mr Nolan is being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) along with Lurgi Consult Limited and others in a money laundering case to the tune of $9.6 billion.
In his ruling, Justice Mohammed said Briton had broken the terms of his bail conditions offered him by the court. He, therefore, revoked the bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
He also ordered Mr Nolan’s surety to appear in court on the next adjourned date to justify why the bail bond should not be forfeited to the court.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Bala Sanga, had earlier prepared to proceed with the cross-examination of prosecuting witness 1, Temitope Erinomo, when the court was informed that the second defendant was nowhere to be found and efforts to ascertain his whereabouts proved abortive.
Mr Sanga expressed dismay with the absence of Mr Nolan in court. He also said the first defendant, Lurgi Consult Limited, has never been represented in court as a corporate body since the matter started.
He told the court that investigations by the EFCC showed that the property given by the surety in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was not worth N100 million and prayed the court to restrain the defence team from further delaying the case.
Responding to the absence of Mr Nolan in court, the defence counsel, Mr Micheal Ajara, claimed that his sudden disappearance was strange.
“My Lord, the defendant in question, has always appeared in court, except for the last adjourned date that he was sick. His medical report shows that he has bipolar, a history of mental illness, and it is uncertain if the defendant is fine. We have notified the police, including the prosecution, and all efforts to ascertain his whereabouts have proven abortive,” he said.
He prayed the court to grant the defence time to ascertain his whereabouts.
However, Justice Mohammed said that the court of law does not act in uncertainty.
“What is clear to the court right now is that the second defendant is nowhere to be found, and there is no justification with a certainty of his whereabouts,” he said.
The judge then granted Sanga prayers for the court to revoke the bail of the second defendant, issue a bench warrant for his arrest and declare his bail bond forfeited.
Recall that P&ID, a firm based in the British Virgin Islands, won a $9.6 billion arbitration award against the Nigerian government after the collapse of a 2010 gas project.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A hotline number, 0800 123 5264, for Nigerians to report any MRS Oil Nigeria Plc filling stations selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, above the approved pump price of N739 per litre, has been released by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The private refiner said the number was now active nationwide, enabling consumers to promptly report violations and help maintain fair pricing across over 2,000 MRS stations.
This measure follows the refinery’s recent commencement of nationwide PMS sales at N739 per litre—a strategic intervention aimed at stabilising fuel prices and easing the financial burden on Nigerians during the festive season.
“We encourage Nigerians to avoid purchasing PMS at inflated prices when locally refined fuel is available at N739 per litre.
“Report any MRS station selling above this price by calling our hotline. Together, we can ensure that the benefits of this price reduction reach every consumer,” the company stated in a statement.
The organisation stressed its mission to deliver affordable, high-quality fuel while safeguarding national economic interests, reaffirming its commitment to steady supply, backed by a guaranteed daily output of 50 million litres, and warned against attempts to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply.
Regulatory authorities have been urged to remain vigilant and take decisive action against unpatriotic practices.
By refining locally at scale, Dangote Refinery is reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports, conserving foreign exchange, stabilising the Naira, and strengthening energy security. This initiative represents a significant milestone in the country’s journey toward sustainable energy solutions and economic recovery.
The refinery also issued a stern warning against attempts by unscrupulous operators to create artificial scarcity in response to the price reduction, calling on government agencies to act decisively.
“Any attempt to create artificial scarcity or manipulate supply to frustrate recent price reductions is unpatriotic and unacceptable. We urge regulatory authorities to remain vigilant and take firm action against such practices, especially during this critical festive period,” the statement added.
Consumers were advised to resist purchasing fuel at inflated prices when cheaper, high-quality alternatives are readily available.
By Bon Peters
The Airport Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Omagwa Rivers State has praised the Customs Area Controller for Customs Area 1 Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku.
At the end-of-the-year party attended by stakeholders, including the leader of the association’s chapter, Mr Charles Onyema, said the customs officer has done well in stakeholder engagement and trade facilitation.
At the event held last Friday, he said his association has been enjoying a very cordial relationship with other organisation in the ecosystem.
“You can see what is happening today, everybody is working together and our operations here are seamless,” he noted.
He stated that apart from creating a very robust business environment for his members and other stakeholders to operate, he has taken a decision to build and commission a befitting ANLCA Secretariat which would be completed soon and be commissioned by the ANLCA national president, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji.
The ANLCA chapter chief said since “Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku assumed office at Customs Area 1, Port Harcourt Command, it has been a different ball game, facilitating trade and increasing Revenue generation.”
“I remember I told her she was a mother during her maiden visit to the airport.
“You know when you have a woman in charge of an affair, food will not lack, compassion will not lack and motherly love will not lack.
“She is very wonderful in stakeholder engagement, revenue generation and trade facilitation,” Mr Onyema enthused.
Projecting into the future, Mr. Onyema said the year 2026 would be better for his members, adding that he has advised them on financial discipline which he said would help them during the trying period.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has declared Thursday, December 25, and Friday, December 26, 2025, as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day respectively.
The government also declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, for the New Year celebration.
The declaration was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
According to the statement, the Minister urged Nigerians to reflect on the values of love, peace, humility and sacrifice associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.
Mr Tunji-Ojo also called on citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity, to use the festive season to pray for peace, improved security and national progress.
He further advised Nigerians to remain law-abiding and security-conscious during the celebrations, while wishing them a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Business Post reports that on these public holidays – the foreign exchange market, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), as well as the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange will not open to trade.
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