Lawyers, Others To Be Investigated For $11bn P&ID Scam
The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into lawyers and other service providers engaged in the Nigeria-Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) issue.
P&ID had won a $11bn arbitration award against Nigeria for a botched gas project.
The Federal Government, however, appealed the judgement because, according to it, the tragic gas processing contract was gained fraudulently.
In a verdict on Monday in London, Commercial Courts of England and Wales set aside the $11bn award against Nigeria.
At the plenary on Wednesday, Kama Nkemkanma, representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency, Ebonyi State, introduced a motion titled “Reversal of the $11bn arbitration award paid against Nigeria: Call for investigation of all legal and other services providers involved in the P &ID deal.”
In her motion, Nkemkanma noted that the UK court confirmed the gas project award was fraudulent.
According to the lawmaker, “Nigeria has been involved in a fight with P&ID since the company accused the Nigerian government of botching a deal by failing to provide gas to them, leading to the ugly situation where the country suffered a $6.6bn judgment debt in 2017 when the arbitration tribunal ordered the country to pay P&ID with interest to start counting from March 2013.
“Again, we are aware that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in 2018, began investigating P&ID and found evidence of two bank transfers totalling $20,000 made by Dublin-based Industrial Consultants (International) Ltd. — part of the P&ID group of companies—to Grace Taiga, a Nigerian government lawyer, who oversaw the award of the gas plant contract, thus exposing the level of shoddiness and corruption around the entire process.”
The motion has been referred to the Committees on Justice and Financial Crimes for review.
