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P&ID Case: Nigeria Did Not Lose Appeal – Solicitor-General

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Quinn and Cahill P&ID

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata (SAN), has said that the Nigerian government did not lose its appeal against the order of a British commercial court directing it to deposit $200 million in the case against Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) Limited.

He stated that parties in the suit would appear before the court on Monday for the court’s decision on whether to allow bank guarantee in place of actual payment, adding that there are indications from Friday’s proceedings that the court might accept a bank guarantee.

He further said that the reports in the media was wrong and twisted. He said, “There is no loss of any appeal. The media reports are wrong and twisted.”

“We are in court on Monday again for Butcher’s decision on whether he will substitute actual payment for bank guarantee.

“He was said to have indicated on Friday that a satisfactory bank guarantee would be acceptable to him.”

Business Post had reported in August that Justice Christopher Butcher of the Commercial Court in London had awarded the sum of $9.6 billion judgment debt against Nigeria over an alleged botched gas contract between the country and P&ID.

Nigeria then appealed against the judgment which led the London court to order the country to deposit $200 million as security into the court’s account while granting request to stay execution of the $9.6 billion award in favour of P&ID.

The court in addition gave Nigeria up till November 25 to make the deposit but the federal government appealed the court’s decision.

However, a news report circulated and claimed that at the hearing of the appeal on Friday the court refused to grant Nigeria’s bid to stop the deposit of the security.

P&ID had in 2012 instituted the legal battle against Nigeria in the Court of Arbitration in the UK in 2012 following Nigeria’s refusal to carry on with the GSPA agreement entered with the firm in 2010.

P&ID claimed that the failure of the federal government to construct the pipeline system to supply the gas frustrated the construction of the gas project and deprived it the potential benefits expected from 20 years’ worth of gas supplies.

It was also reported that the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court had on September 19 convicted and subsequently ordered the winding up of P&ID and its Nigerian affiliate, P&ID Nigeria Limited.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of “the assets and properties” of the two firms to the Nigerian government.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the orders after the two firms, through their representatives, pleaded guilty to the 11-count charges of fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and other sundry charges in connection with a year 2010 contract leading to the recent controversial judgment of a British court recognising the award of $9.6 billion in favour of P&ID by an arbitration panel.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Navy Uncovers Illegal Crude Oil Storage Pits in Delta

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Illegal Crude Oil Refineries

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Navy, under Operation Delta Sanity, has uncovered and destroyed multiple illegal crude oil storage pits in Obodo Omadino Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The operation, carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta), dealt another major blow to the organised network of illegal crude oil refining syndicates operating in the Niger Delta.

According to the Navy, the dug-out pits, hidden deep in the creeks, were filled with a significant but unspecified quantity of stolen crude oil.

This latest action follows earlier raids in the same community between June 1 and 5, during which Naval forces dismantled 28 illegal crude oil pits and seized numerous sacks of stolen oil.

The Navy emphasized that Tuesday’s raid reinforces its warning to oil thieves that there will be no hiding place.

“This discovery is part of our sustained effort to dismantle the infrastructure of crude oil theft in the region. These operations will continue relentlessly,” an official statement noted.

The Navy reiterated its commitment to protecting Nigeria’s economic assets and called on local communities to support the ongoing campaign by providing credible intelligence.

“We urge citizens to stand with us in this fight. Crude oil theft is a national economic crime, and we will continue to act decisively against it,” the Navy added.

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UK Reiterates Support for Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plans

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energy transition goal

By Adedapo Adesanya

The United Kingdom has reiterated its strong support for Nigeria’s energy transition plan, which involves tapping into various sustainable energy efforts, including hydro, solar, and others renewables to complement its hydrocarbons options to create enough value in its energy sector.

The First Secretary for Climate Diplomacy in the British High Commission, Ms Samantha Harrison, during a visit to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja, emphasised the United Kingdom’s commitment to partnering with Nigeria on climate and energy initiatives.

Discussions focused on opportunities for collaboration to reduce gas flaring, an essential component of Nigeria’s decarbonisation strategy.

The visit highlights the UK’s ongoing dedication to supporting Nigeria’s sustainable energy goals and fostering climate-resilient development as a pathway to long-term economic growth.

In his remarks, the chief executive of NUPRC, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, reaffirmed the agency’s leadership role in driving decarbonisation within Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.

Mr Komolafe stated that the commission is implementing a dual strategy to address gas flaring: by decarbonising flare sites, and by converting flared gas into valuable economic assets.

This approach not only mitigates environmental impact but also enhances national revenue generation.

Business Post reported recently that Nigeria lost over N710 billion to gas flaring.

A key initiative in this effort is the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP) which currently includes 49 identified flare sites.

The programme is designed to harness previously wasted gas resources and channel them into productive use, contributing to both environmental sustainability and economic growth.

Mr Komolafe also acknowledged the support received from multilateral organisations such as the World Bank and Net Zero World and expressed optimism about future collaboration with the British High Commission to further enhance the Commission’s decarbonisation efforts.

During the visit, officials of the commission and the British High Commission delegation held a technical session towards fostering a robust partnership.

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Air Peace Condemns Oshiomhole’s Disruption of Operations

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adams oshiomhole

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian airline operator, Air Peace, has condemned the action of a former Governor of Edo State, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, who disrupted its operations at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 1 (Zulu Hall) on Wednesday.

Business Post reports that the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly caused a scene today after he reportedly missed his flight.

In a statement on Wednesday, Air Peace condemned what it described as the “unruly conduct.”

Mr Oshiomole reportedly forced the closure of the Zulu Terminal at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos after arriving late for his flight to Abuja.

According to verified videos, Mr Oshiomhole was seen blocking the entrance to the Zulu Terminal of the GAT after arriving at the terminal well past the scheduled departure time.

Air Peace claimed that Mr Oshiomhole was scheduled to travel on an early morning Air Peace flight. His departure time for the flight to Abuja was 6:30 am, but when he was informed that he had missed the flight, the Senator became physically aggressive, allegedly assaulted airline staff, and blocked the terminal entrance, preventing other passengers from accessing the departure hall.

“Upon being informed of the missed flight, the politician resorted to violence, physically assaulting our staff and forcefully barricading the terminal’s entrance. He went as far as sealing the entry gate and manning the access point, effectively obstructing other passengers from gaining entry into the terminal,” Air Peace said.

The disruption reportedly caused significant delays for other passengers. In response, the airline activated a contingency plan to reroute travelers through an alternate terminal to minimise the chaos.

Air Peace expressed disappointment that a public figure of Mr Oshiomhole’s stature could act in a way they described as unbecoming and disruptive.

“We are deeply saddened that such a high-profile figure displayed conduct so unbecoming and disruptive to fellow passengers and our personnel. Air Peace maintains a zero-tolerance stance on violence or any form of aggression against our staff and passengers,” it stated.

Air Peace added that it is preparing formal reports on the incident to be submitted to the Nigerian Senate, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Department of State Services (DSS), and other relevant authorities for investigation and possible disciplinary action.

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