₦airaland Forum

A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE

by Muhammadu Buhari

RARELY in modern times can so few have tried to take so much from so many. If Nigeria had lost its arbitration dispute with Process & Industrial Development in a London court on 23 October, it would have cost our people close to USD15 billion.
We won, and all decent people can sleep easier as a result. Justice Robin Knowles said Nigeria had been the victim of a monstrous fraud. But it was a close-run thing. As the judge said: “I end the case acutely conscious of how readily the outcome could have been different, and of the enormous resources ultimately required from Nigeria as the successful party to make good its challenge.”
But ordinary Nigerians never took the decisions that ended up before Justice Knowles. Had Nigeria lost, it would have required schools not to be built, nurses not to be trained and roads not to repaired, on an epic scale, to pay a handful of contractors, lawyers and their allies - for a project that never broke ground.
How did it get to this point? How did Nigeria prevail? Was this a one-off, or par for a shabby and distasteful course? What are the lessons for the future?
The ‘P&ID Affair’ was already firmly set by the time I came into office in 2015. A company registered in the British Virgin Islands that no one had heard of, with hardly any staff or assets, had won a contract to build a gas processing plant in Cross Rivers. The company was owned by Irish intermediaries who knew Nigeria well and had done business in everything from healthcare to fixing tanks.
The previous government could not supply the gas. The plant was never built. Construction was not started. P&ID did not even buy the land for the facility. But the contract, incredibly, was clear: P&ID could sue Nigeria, and claim all the profits it might have made over 20 years as if everything had been completed.
Nigeria was in court in London, trying to talk down liability and costs. Back at home, fixers were looking to work out a quiet settlement. This is often the way. A lot of contracts end up in dispute. P&ID won a settlement in 2017 of USD6 billion, with compound interest. People, including out of work ex-British Cabinet Minister Priti Patel, were queuing up to insist we paid, or risk Nigeria becoming an untrustworthy trade pariah.
It was clear that far from the whole story had been told. I tasked Abba Kyari, my chief- of-staff and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, with finding a way, even at that late stage and despite so much conflicting advice, to get us a fair hearing. Working with a number of different agencies and senior officials of government, we began to find a huge amount of evidence, not all of which Justice Knowles was to accept. But he agreed that P&ID had paid bribes. He agreed that one of P&ID’s founders had committed perjury. And he agreed that P&ID had somehow found in its possession a steady supply of Nigeria’s privileged internal legal documents, outlining our plans, strategies and problems.
My own view is that this whole, sorry affair shows how important it is to follow the legal process in resolving a dispute. It shows that given time and opportunity for each side to present their case, the temple of justice can satisfactorily resolve all disputes without resort to extra-judicial measures. It was definitely worth the struggle: this was an attempted heist of historic proportions, an attempt to steal from the treasury a third of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.
But even at this moment, we should note what the English judge cautioned. The arbitration process in London “was a shell that got nowhere near the truth.” We need better contracts, in the public and private sector. And we need greater transparency: the reality is that, had P&ID not conjured up quite such an outlandish ransom, they may have found themselves in the same place as the myriad other invisible contractors who all too often quietly take Nigeria for many millions in out of court settlements. Sterner sanctions are indicated for Nigerian public officials who have been proven to connive with foreign criminals to defraud our country.
Nigeria has won this battle with corruption, but the war is far from over. As Justice Knowles concluded: “This case has also, sadly, brought together a combination of examples of what some individuals will do for money. Driven by greed and prepared to use corruption; giving no thought to what their enrichment would mean in terms of harm for others. Others that in the present case include the people of Nigeria, already let down in so many ways over the history of this matter by a number of individuals in politics and administration whose duty it was to serve them and protect them.” Well said.

Muhammadu Buhari served as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2015-23

A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE

by Muhammadu Buhari

RARELY in modern times can so few have tried to take so much from so many. If Nigeria had lost its arbitration dispute with Process & Industrial Development in a London court on 23 October, it would have cost our people close to USD15 billion.
We won, and all decent people can sleep easier as a result. Justice Robin Knowles said Nigeria had been the victim of a monstrous fraud. But it was a close-run thing. As the judge said: “I end the case acutely conscious of how readily the outcome could have been different, and of the enormous resources ultimately required from Nigeria as the successful party to make good its challenge.”
But ordinary Nigerians never took the decisions that ended up before Justice Knowles. Had Nigeria lost, it would have required schools not to be built, nurses not to be trained and roads not to repaired, on an epic scale, to pay a handful of contractors, lawyers and their allies - for a project that never broke ground.
How did it get to this point? How did Nigeria prevail? Was this a one-off, or par for a shabby and distasteful course? What are the lessons for the future?
The ‘P&ID Affair’ was already firmly set by the time I came into office in 2015. A company registered in the British Virgin Islands that no one had heard of, with hardly any staff or assets, had won a contract to build a gas processing plant in Cross Rivers. The company was owned by Irish intermediaries who knew Nigeria well and had done business in everything from healthcare to fixing tanks.
The previous government could not supply the gas. The plant was never built. Construction was not started. P&ID did not even buy the land for the facility. But the contract, incredibly, was clear: P&ID could sue Nigeria, and claim all the profits it might have made over 20 years as if everything had been completed.
Nigeria was in court in London, trying to talk down liability and costs. Back at home, fixers were looking to work out a quiet settlement. This is often the way. A lot of contracts end up in dispute. P&ID won a settlement in 2017 of USD6 billion, with compound interest. People, including out of work ex-British Cabinet Minister Priti Patel, were queuing up to insist we paid, or risk Nigeria becoming an untrustworthy trade pariah.
It was clear that far from the whole story had been told. I tasked Abba Kyari, my chief- of-staff and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, with finding a way, even at that late stage and despite so much conflicting advice, to get us a fair hearing. Working with a number of different agencies and senior officials of government, we began to find a huge amount of evidence, not all of which Justice Knowles was to accept. But he agreed that P&ID had paid bribes. He agreed that one of P&ID’s founders had committed perjury. And he agreed that P&ID had somehow found in its possession a steady supply of Nigeria’s privileged internal legal documents, outlining our plans, strategies and problems.
My own view is that this whole, sorry affair shows how important it is to follow the legal process in resolving a dispute. It shows that given time and opportunity for each side to present their case, the temple of justice can satisfactorily resolve all disputes without resort to extra-judicial measures. It was definitely worth the struggle: this was an attempted heist of historic proportions, an attempt to steal from the treasury a third of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.
But even at this moment, we should note what the English judge cautioned. The arbitration process in London “was a shell that got nowhere near the truth.” We need better contracts, in the public and private sector. And we need greater transparency: the reality is that, had P&ID not conjured up quite such an outlandish ransom, they may have found themselves in the same place as the myriad other invisible contractors who all too often quietly take Nigeria for many millions in out of court settlements. Sterner sanctions are indicated for Nigerian public officials who have been proven to connive with foreign criminals to defraud our country.
Nigeria has won this battle with corruption, but the war is far from over. As Justice Knowles concluded: “This case has also, sadly, brought together a combination of examples of what some individuals will do for money. Driven by greed and prepared to use corruption; giving no thought to what their enrichment would mean in terms of harm for others. Others that in the present case include the people of Nigeria, already let down in so many ways over the history of this matter by a number of individuals in politics and administration whose duty it was to serve them and protect them.” Well said.

Muhammadu Buhari served as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2015-23

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May Allah have mercy on Alhaji AbdulRahman Adogu Ibrahim, The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

Netanyahu declaring invasion: "You must remember what Amalek has done to you, says our Holy Bible"

1 Samuel 15:3

"Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass"

BREAKING: Israel Communications Minister says the country will use the available means to prevent Elon Musk from providing internet access to relief groups in Gaza

OasisX:


......I ain't surprised bro, coz it'll be 8th wonder of the world if you support Iran in any way. LOL!

I used to support them but independent research made me to realize what they were upon of deception and treachery. All I have in the quoted posts are facts, Iranian government aren't assisting Palestinians by encouraging Hamas to launch senseless attacks that will further worsen the situation. Iran will chant death to America and others but they will go behind to shake hands. Iran was providing logistics for al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, Iran agents staged a seizure of Masjid al-Haraam.

[quote author=OasisX post=126668390]

[font=serif].....by the way, Iran is currently holding military drill, I advise Anyone who cares to watch the clips.

For clarity sake; Iranians are persians not arabs. They are shi'a muslims too not sunni muslims. Enough said.

Below is a tip of the ongoing drill;

Iran's Army Ground Forces Exercise has started. pic.twitter.com/1O55mkSxox

— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) October 27, 2023

be told Iran aren't different In the sense that they're persecuting Ahwazis and support the massacre carried out by Assad and the Hizb- ash-Shaytan in Lebanon and they've been silent on the ill-treatment of the Uyghurs- or are these other groups less than Palestinians?
Smell the coffee

As we express our solidarity with the Palestinian people, let us also lend our voices in support of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Every hour, 48 women are raped, millions are displaced, and over 6 million lives are lost, with half of the victims being children.Congo holds the world's largest coltan reserve, a crucial mineral for electronics, aerospace, and technological innovation. Several nations, including the Western Countries, are supporting Uganda and Rwanda in invading regions rich in coltan reserves, resulting in the loss ofmillions of civilian lives. Tragically, Congolese men, women, and children suffer torture, starvation, rape, and death in this conflict.

andrewbaba44:
Lol make I explain tire and no evidence ?

Well we dominated the game for long period and wasted our chances till Bellingham masterclass and ancelotti changes

The rest na history

Chai! Sorry

andrewbaba44:
Na so we see am

How e take happen, I no watch games today

Give me Vlahovic or any striker with killer instinct

andrewbaba44 I learnt my boy Jude ran you guys street in Camp Nou

Magnoliaa:
This is what Piers f<cking Morgan of all people even is saying.


Okay now.

He is running Hamas propaganda

Oasis007:


See finish..........LOL!

This is a club Chelsea once donated Stamford Bridge grass to.
PS: This isn't correct

BREAKING: Egypt says 'Israeli obstacles' are preventing the delivery of additional aid to Gaza

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces any ground operations carried out by Israel that would threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians and result in inhumane dangers.

Erdogan on Israel: "Israel, you are doomed to be left alone. Everyone knows that Israel is a pawn in the region that will be sacrificed when the time comes. The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West."

BREAKING: UN Secretary-General appeals for an 'immediate humanitarian ceasefire, together with the unconditional release of hostages and the delivery of relief at a level corresponding to the dramatic needs of the people in Gaza, where a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in front of our eyes'.
Maybe UN Secretary-general is running Hamas propaganda too

But we all know that Rotimi Amaechi, who stood up to a sitting president and fought him with every bit of dirt and invective at his disposal, and succeeded in mobilizing the country against him, can't just wake up one day and say Nigerians are docile.

Nigerians weren't docile when they stood with him against President Jonathan. They are only docile for choosing a presidential candidate other than him, even though the primary election was in the wake of the deadliest train attack on the country's shores, a tragic act of negligence for which the ministry under his supervision was singled out.

The former minister is now struggling to resist post-office activism, following in the footsteps of public servants and politicians who embarked on activism to redeem themselves after leaving office by suddenly rushing to challenge what they had the chance to fix when they were in government.

Having lived on taxpayers' money for 24 years as a high-ranking public servant, it's impossible for Amaechi to throw stones without some landing on him, and that, to me, is the reason he's choosing his battles and words carefully, and pretending that he doesn't want to offend certain people. He obviously hasn't developed sensitivity to political mudslinging. He's just afraid of the shitstorm that would happen if he takes the bait thrown at him, and I can’t fault his discretion here. Gimba Kakanda

Taguchi:
You're being mischievous

The Israeli that were murdered, are their lives of less importance than the Palestinians?

What if they were you and your family members

I didn't see you expend this energy defending the defenseless when Deborah was brutally murdered infact you were trying your best to justify something so gruesome

What if the girl was your sister abi a Nigerian kafir cannot be your sister but a foreigner thousands of miles away is?

Mind you I have never supported isreal's activity in Gaza and I ain't doing so now

But you bro are a hypocrite, the worst kind

It seems comprehension seems to be a problem for you I have condemned the atrocities of Hamas times without number.
A Muslim is a brother/location to another Muslim regardless of space and location that doesn't mean I shouldn't respect and uphold the sanctity of life of people who are not Muslims (I have demonstrated countless times e.g during the last election when voters were intimidated and brutalised, and also during the Deborah issue).
The hypocrites is you who overlooked what lead to the present situation and instead rattionalised the attacks on civilians by saying all is fair and square in war. Imagine the audacity to call me what you espoused

BlueRayDick:
What does this even mean ?

Both of them are frauds

PrinceEma:
So how do you spare the innocent when the perpetrator is mixed up with the innocents...and still shooting rockets into your home from the comfort of a hugely populated civillian area?

If you attack, there is will be civillian casualties, if you don't attack, you and your household may lose your lives because the perpetrators won't stop firing rockets at you?

Then you even warned civillians to evacuate areas and buildings where these perpetrators operates mostly from..

Let the International Community Support the Palestinian Authorities in West Bank, and other Arab States to root out Hamas and their proxies in the region then we won't have Hamas but these they won't do.
When Saudi Arabia went after Qatar who were hiding Hamas and other extremist groups they were lampooned, when they went after Houthi rebels in Yemen they were accused of hegemony and warmongering, when Sisi crushed the Muslim Brotherhood he was derided and call all sorts of names.
The International Community have failed to support the right people that will bring about the needed peace but surely peace will be achieved and both Hamas and the Zionists will be defeated

People will say all is fair and square in war until they or their families are involved. This line of arguments is what extremists used to justify their actions, you want to a place subject the old, young, elderly and women to inhumane conditions and you dare tell me all is fair and square in war.

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Taguchi:
In as much as I don't support civilian casualties or any casualties for that matter but it's a legit question tho


If you cheer and support/ don't condemn hamas when they kill defensless Israeli women and children in cold blood and then expect people to exclusively cry with you when the reverse happens then you must be very funny (emphasis on the bolded)

Abi you think that the lives of Palestinian women and children worth more than their Israeli counterparts or are any of the Israelis that lost their lives any less human than the Palestinians cause I don't see you spamming this thread with Israel's innocent civilian casualties

It is nothing short of peak foolishness for Hamas to start a war that they almost certainly can never win, it's either they have an ace up their sleeves that we don't know about yet or they are desperately lusting after 72 tear rubber coochie

If Hamas expected to murder innocent Israeli and expect Israel not to retaliate then they must be very mad

Quick question Lion "what would you do differently if you are in Netanyahu's shoes"

Firstly, you don't ask someone who lost somebody while he/she is still grieving whether he/she supports a group you're being judgemental and insensitive. I remember surviving a car crash alongside a friend after colliding with a fuel tanker when the Road Safety Officer started asking us whether we are drunk without considering our condition we were both in my friend nearly punched the guy and I had to exercise restraint while writhing in pains.
Killing innocent people irrespective of their beliefs, creeds, ethnicity and social status is wrong and condemnable. However, Palestinians especially those under Occupied West Bank have been subjected to the worst form of treatment including humiliating and killing them by occupation forces the whole world turned a blind eye to their sufferings save for some countries. This condition provided the platform for extremist groups who are after their interests to legitimize Thier attrocities which is what exactly what the Occupying Forces needed to justify their own crimes.
Hamas is an offshoot of Muslim Brotherhood Party founded in Egypt. Several times the Muslim leaders have warned about them and even imprisoned them and executed some of their members for their false beliefs and practices but the leaders of the West hailed them as Pro-democracy dissidents who are being persecuted for opposing monarchy and defending democracy, they were given funds and asylum against the wishes of Muslim leaders who knew what these guys are into. It was when they started going against their interests that when they're now blaming Muslims/Arab leaders for not doing anything about the monsters they helped nurtured.
As for what I will do if someone attacks my people as a leader I would go after the perpetrators and spare the innocent

When the output is faulty the logical/reasonable thing to do is to check the input/process to determine the root cause.

Amigoss:
Rubbish

As usual throw the citizens under the bus because of the crimes of few.....No country has perfect citizens

But you Amoto don't think Palestinians deserve what they are getting from isreal because of the crimes of Hamas

False equivalence

Thiy

The problem of Nigeria is Nigerians. We are all leaders in our respective domains how have conducted ourselves in our line of duties, what about our families and friends?
We have people shorting the currency in their own way but are blaming the big men who are doing same thing as them at scale, who told them that they won't do same when opportunity presents itself tomorrow? For many of us Nigeria is a treasure island to be plundered and not a garden to be cultivated.
"You seek salvation, but you do not tread its path — indeed, a ship does not sail on dry land." Shaykh al-Albani

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