A former director for legal services at Nigeria’s petroleum ministry was on Friday remanded in Suleja Prison after pleading not guilty to an eight-count charge of alleged financial impropriety in the controversial contract between Nigeria and the Irish firm, Process and Industrial Development Company (P&ID).
The former director, Grace Taiga, is accused by the federal government of participating in the award of the contract with a former petroleum minister, Rilwan Lukman, who is now deceased.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission described the processes of awarding the contract as “unlawful and an abuse of constitutional provision”.
The commission which is prosecuting the case accused Mrs Taiga and Mr Lukman of violating the law and awarding the contract without the approval of the Federal Executive Council or recourse to the provisions of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act.
Mrs Taiga was also accused of collecting over $20,000 from the Irish firm “for her cooperation” in ensuring that the contract was signed.
After pleading not guilty to the charge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi ordered Mrs Taiga to be remanded pending the determination of a bail application scheduled for September 25.
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