By Tony Obiechina, ABUJA
The Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CCSG), on Monday stormed the British High Commission and the Irish Embassy in Abuja protesting the award of a $9.6 billion fine against Nigeria by a United Kingdom court following a botched oil deal.
A United Kingdom Arbitration Court had in its judgement on the 16th of August, 2019, awarded $9.6 billion in favor of Process & Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID).
The protesters, as early as 8am gathered at the British and Irish Embassies in Abuja carrying various placards calling on authorities to promptly act on the matter.
Some of the placards read: “P&ID $9.6 bn Judgment in UK is a fraud; Boris Johnson help President Buhari Fight corruption; 200 million Nigerians are against $9.6b judgement; Boris Johnson please call British Judge to order; we call for the reversal of the judgment”.
The group is asking the court to overturn the judgement claiming it was politically motivated and that the private company involved did not follow due process in the oil contract deal.
In a protest letter addressed to the British High Commissioner, the CCSG said, “we consider the judgment as a travesty to justice, disrespect to the sovereignty of the Nigerian Government as the case is not supposed to be heard in a foreign country where the said irregularity was committed”.
The letter which was signed by the Group’s President, Etuk Basset Williams and Secretary General, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim said ” we consider it as a deliberate effort to deter the effort of the Nigerian Government towards the fight against corruption. We are strongly opposed to this judgment”.
“It is disheartening to observe the questionable commitment and resolve of the tribunal sitting in UK to go ahead with the judgment despite being served the court ruling in Nigeria which gave the Federal Government of Nigeria the leave to review the contract fur to the irregularitued found in the way and manner with which the contract was signed.
While we appreciate and respect the responsibility and duty of courts, we frown at the steps taken by the company (P&ID) and the Tribunal in UK towards the dispute involving Nigerian and P&ID.
” Thus we use this medium to express our dissatisfaction to this illegal process and lack of due recognition of our sovereignty as a nation and the interest of the Nigerian people “, the letter added.
The group further said while it recognized the cordial relationship that had existed between the Governments of Nigeria and Britain, it urged ” the two parties to review the contract and negotiate the payment awarded against Nigeria”.
Although no officials of the two embassies came out to address the group or collect their letter, they however promised to continue the protests for one week until they are given attention.
