$9.6b judgment debts: FG links contract to Yar’Adua’s govt
The Federal Government on Tuesday linked the contract which led to a judgement debt
of $9.6 billion (N3.5 trillion) by a UK court to the administration of ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua.
An Irish-owned firm, Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID) was granted court
permission to seize up to $9bn (£7.4bn) in assets belonging to the Nigerian government.
Mr Justice Christopher John Butcher of the British Commercial Court had said that the firm
could take 20 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign reserves, a move that would deal a devastating
blow to the Nigerian economy.
However, the government, at a joint briefing in Abuja by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed alongside the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN),
the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
Mr. Godwin Emefiele on Tuesday, said the judgment of the UK court could not stand.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), the National Intelligence Agency( NIA) and the Inspector-General of
Police to probe the criminal conspiracy behind the failed contract.
According to the minister, the decision was based on the fact that the Federal Government
suspected foul play in the contract which was negotiated and signed in 2010.
“We want to place on record that the Federal Government views with serious concerns the
underhanded manner in which the contract was negotiated and signed,” he said.
