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Blasphemy: Sokoto Court Remands Suspected Killers Of Deborah

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2022

Editor

Indications have emerged that the Federal Government may defy an order by a Federal High Court barring parties from taking further steps in relation to the award of the disputed $60million International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) contract initiated by the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier issued an order restraining the former Minister from taking any further step on the contract award pending the resolution of a suit instituted against him and some others in respect of the contract.

However, a memo prepared by the Federal Ministry of Transportation indicated that the issue of the contract will be tabled before the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting slated for this Wednesday for possible approval and award.

The memo sighted by our correspondent on Monday, is marked: EC(2022) and was signed by Amaechi on April 12, 2022, but received at the office of the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office on April 20, 2022.

The memo is titled: “Memorandum for approval for the implementation of International Cargo Tracking Note in Nigeria through public private partnership arrangement.”

It reads in part: “The purpose of this memorandum is to seek the consideration and approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the implementation of International Cargo Tracking Note In Nigeria by Messrs MTS Cargo & Logistics Limited through Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) Public Private Partnership arrangement at an initial capital Investment currently modelled at the sum sixty million dollars (US$60,000,000) to be funded 100% through equity by the company for a concession period of 15 years.”

It added that the arrangement provides for “a revenue sharing ratio of 92.5per cent: 7per cent in favour of the Federal Government represented by the Nigerian Shippers Council and Private Consortium respectively: after deduction of processing cost as well as the Full Business Case (FBC) for the project. ”

The plaintiff in the suit before the Federal High Court, the Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) is concerned that Amaechi was still working behind the scene to have the contract process concluded while their suit is pending.

CASER had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1587/2021, accused Amaechi of among others, manipulating the contract award process in favour of two local and inexperienced firms – Medtech Scientific Limited and Rozi International Nigeria Limited, who are also defendants in the case.

Other defendants in the case, in which the plaintiff are praying the court to void the selection of Medtech and Rozi, are the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

During a recent hearing in the case, lawyer to the plaintiff, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN) accused Amaechi of being in contempt, noting that he has taken some fundamental steps in respect of the contract award despite a pending order for maintenance of status quo issued on January 22, 2022.

Following the complaint by Mustapha, Justice Donatus Okorowo elected to first deal with the issue of alleged contempt and ordered parties to file necessary processes.

Though the case was transferred to another judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed for hearing during the court’s last Easter holiday on the request by Amaechi, it has now been returned to Justice Okorowo who has now scheduled hearing for later this month.

News

NiMet Predicts Three-day Rain, Thunderstorms From Monday

Published

17 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

News

JUST IN: Ooni Visits Olubadan-designate Ladoja In Ibadan

Published

22 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Olubadan designate, Rashidi Ladoja, at his Bodija private residence in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The PUNCH reports that Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan on Friday, September 26, 2025, following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who joined his ancestors on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 90 years.

The two paramount rulers are currently exchanging pleasantries.

Details later…

News

JUST IN: FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Unpaid Fees

Published

23 hours ago

September 21, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has announced a fresh revocation of not less than 1,263 mineral licenses.

These licenses, which will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.

The minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, gave the revocation announcement in a statement issued by his special assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja.

The minister explained that the directive was issued due to the companies’ failure to comply with the requirement of paying their annual service fees.

The latest revocation brings the total mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3, 794 including,619 mineral titles revoked for defaulting in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.

By opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the revocation is expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.

The statement read, “Not less than 1,263 mineral licenses will be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, following their revocation by the Federal Government.

“These include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.”

Approving the revocation following the recommendation of the MCO, the Minister said applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector would make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.

“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites, is over.

“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining. You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the license because the law allows you to return the license if you change your mind,” the minister said.

He warned that the revocation does not mean the Federal Government has pardoned the annual service debt owed by licensees, adding that the list will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.

“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the license application processes with speculative activities.”

In the recommendation to the minister, the Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, disclosed that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when the MCO published the intention to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.

He informed the minister that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise licencees and encourage them to comply within 30 days in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.

He observed that the delay in the final recommendation was due to complaints of several licensees who claimed to have paid to the Federal Government through Remita and had to be reconciled.

Earlier this month, the DG MCO had hinted that more mining licences would be revoked as part of ongoing efforts to sanitise the solid minerals sector and protect investors from fraudsters.

According to Nkom, the clean-up exercise, which covers expired, speculative, and inactive titles, is necessary to make room for genuine investors and ensure compliance with the law.

This is part of ongoing efforts at sanitising the sector since the inception of the Tinubu administration, and the salutary effects of the reforms are massive and manifest despite the attempts to push back by defaulters and their agents.