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S’Court Upholds Ex-BPE Chief’s Jail Term
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the contempt conviction of Alex Okoh, former Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
The judgment, delivered on Friday, solidified Okoh’s one-month imprisonment, highlighting compelling evidence of BPE and Okoh flouting a prior court order.
This order explicitly prohibited the sale of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) Ltd to any entity other than the BFI Group Corporation, the rightful winner of the 2004 bid.
Tijjani Abubakar, delivering the lead verdict, expressed strong criticism for BPE and Okoh’s blatant disregard of the court’s directive.
In scrutinizing the appeal arguments, the judge dismissed BPE’s claim that Alex Okoh was not personally served court papers (Forms 48 and 49) pertaining to the contempt proceedings.
Forms 48 and 49 are crucial in contempt cases. Judge Abubakar asserted that serving the documents on the BPE Secretary was a valid service to Mr Okoh.
He criticized BPE’s actions of re-offering ALSCON for sale post the Supreme Court ruling as a blatant contemptuous act, emphasizing a flagrant disregard for the court’s authority.
According to Mr Abubakar, BPE’s invitation for fresh bids after the court’s order “leaves no one in doubt that the appellants indeed flouted the order of the court as handed down in SC/12/2008, particularly the third leg of the order, which perpetually restrained the first appellant (BPE), servants, agents, privies, management or howsoever called from negotiating the sale, selling, transferring or otherwise handing over ALSCON to any other person or persons, in violation of the contract between the BPE and the BFI Group.”
The appellant’s lawyer, Chris Uche, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) had argued that his client did not violate the court order.
However, Mr. Abubakar dismissed Uche’s assertion, emphasizing that court orders are meant to be adhered to.
He stated that it is not within the appellant’s right to claim compliance when the court records clearly show their utter disregard for the order.
Abubakar condemned the appellants’ actions as a blatant display of disrespect, deeming it scandalous and shameful.
“It is disgraceful that an agency of government decided to hold the economy of the country hostage. Agencies of government must respect the rules. Nobody in this country is above the law.
“Both the government and the governed are subject to the rule of law.
“The appellants are not at liberty to choose which of the orders of this court to obey and which one to ignore.
“I must say the conduct of the appellants in this case offends the majesty of the law and undermines the dignity of the court.
By acting in defiance of the order of perpetual injunction handed down by this court, the stage was obviously set for the second appellant’s (Okoh’s) committal to prison,” the judge said.
Mr. Abubakar declared the appeal as lacking merit before dismissing it. Consequently, he upheld the Court of Appeal’s January 2022 decision affirming Mr. Okoh’s contempt conviction.
The court also maintained the imposition of a N10 million cost against the appellants in favor of the respondent, BFI Group.
Mr. Abubakar ordered that the N10 million cost be personally paid by Mr. Okoh, further specifying that this payment is in addition to his imprisonment for contempt.
Recall that in 2004, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) initiated the privatization of ALSCON through an expression of interest advertisement.
Following the bidding process, BFI Group Corporation emerged as the preferred bidder. BPE communicated this decision to BFI Group through a letter dated June 17, 2006, requesting a 10% payment of the bid price within 15 days.
However, BFI Group contested the 15-day payment deadline, arguing that the terms of the May 2004 memorandum of understanding between the parties stipulated that the preferred bidder should pay 10% of the accepted bid price within 15 days from the execution date of the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA).
Following BFI Group’s failure to meet the 15-day payment deadline, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) terminated the contract and subsequently re-offered ALSCON for sale. In response, determined to challenge BPE’s contract termination, BFI Group filed a lawsuit.
The Supreme Court, in a 2012 judgment, ruled in favor of BFI Group, affirming the existence of a valid contract of sale between BPE and BFI Group regarding ALSCON.
The court issued a restraining order, prohibiting BPE and its agents from further offering ALSCON for sale to any other individual or entity outside of BFI Group.
In pursuit of executing the Supreme Court judgment, BFI Group initiated a judgment enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On September 30, 2014, the Federal High Court issued an enforcement order, which faced objection and appeal from BPE.
The appellate court modified the enforcement order but maintained the directive to enforce the Supreme Court judgment. It instructed BPE to furnish the mutually agreed Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) for execution.
However, disagreements arose between BPE and BFI Group regarding the execution of the SPA, with BPE objecting to certain documents annexed to the agreement.
Following the disagreement, BFI Group initiated contempt proceedings against BPE and Mr. Okoh at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In December 2019, the court found both guilty of contempt and sentenced Mr. Okoh to one month of imprisonment until he purged himself of the contempt.
Challenging this decision, Mr. Okoh and BPE appealed to the Supreme Court.
The verdict delivered on Friday affirmed the conviction and upheld the sentence imposed by the Federal High Court.
For many months, Nigeria’s most notorious terrorist mastermind, Turji Bello and several others of his kind have defied the deadline given by the service chiefs including the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Olufemi Oluyede to neutralise or capture them in the bid to bring their reigns of bloodshed and destruction of lives and property to an end.
Amid what seemed like a spectacular failure by the Nigerian Service Chiefs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to achieve these targets of neutralising Bello, the civil society organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has asked the Service Chiefs including the CDS, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the NSA to acknowledge publicly that they have collectively disappointed Nigeria by not neutralising or arresting Bello and other notorious terrorists and then bow out of their juicy offices since the wages of failure to actualise a mandate is an honourable exit.
The HURIWA’s position was contained in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko
The HURIWA also expressed shock and consternation that the Nigerian leader who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu jetted off to France, Europe, at a time when terrorists in their hundreds are staging religious ceremonies to commemorate the end of the year 2025 Ramadan fast and the Sallah.
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“Travelling to France on what the President calls ‘brief working visit’ makes no logical, tactical and good reputational sense because what will our president tell the French journalists if he is confronted with the viral videos of terrorists holding religious and social ceremonies in Nigeria whereby his primary constitutional duty is to provide security to the lives and property of Nigerians and to guarantee the welfare and well-being of the citizenry?”
The HURIWA stated that it is extremely disappointing that several months since the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa categorically assured Nigerians that the reign of the notorious terrorist leader, Bello Turji would come to an end, the terror mastermind has rather reportedly hosted a grand Eid celebration in Magira, located in Isa Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State, before leading an attack in Fadamar Lugu, where he and his gang killed 12 people and left one person injured on Tuesday.
The Rights group recalled that even 4 months back, on December 31st, 2024, the Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa appeared on a popular prime time network programme on Channels television and assured Nigerians for the umpteenth time that Turji Bello would be captured and that most of his affiliates have been neutralised. In February of this year, the CDS also told Nigerians that the terror mastermind Turji Bello is asking to surrender.
The HURIWA then wondered how come the terrorist leader is now holding open religious ceremony and even moving to another town where he killed 12 innocent members of the community just for fun.
The HURIWA quoted security analyst Bakatsine as disclosing the incident in a post on 𝕏 on Wednesday, revealing that Turji’s gathering in Magira was attended by fellow bandits from Zamfara State.
Following the festivities, the group proceeded to Fadamar Lugu, where they launched a brutal assault on innocent residents.
“Bandit leader Bello Turji hosted an Eid celebration in Magira, Isa LGA, with bandits from Zamfara State. After the feast, he moved to Fadamar Lugu in Isa LGA, Sokoto State, killing 12 people & injuring one person just for fun,” Bakatsine wrote.
Turji, one of Nigeria’s most wanted criminals, has been linked to numerous violent crimes, including mass killings, kidnappings, and raids across Sokoto and Zamfara States.
The HURIWA recalled that in a separate but alarming development, armed bandits operating in different parts of the country were seen on video performing Eid prayers at the conclusion of the 2025 Ramadan fast.
Counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama shared the footage on 𝕏 on Tuesday, April 1, revealing that the armed groups conducted prayers in two locations within Kaduna State.
Naijaonpoint understands that the prayers took place in Maidaro, Sabon Birni, and East Kaduna, deep within Dogon Dawa Forest.
The video footage reportedly showed the bandits armed with sophisticated weapons, including guns, drones, and mobile phones.
The HURIWA said for the fact that the Defence Chiefs including the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede publicly gave timelines to definitely bring Turji Bello to justice or take justice to him and his many affiliates, the notorious terrorists leader Turji Bello has remained elusive and the Nigeria Army which is the largest in Africa has failed for half a year to capture just one terrorism kingpin just as the security forces are overwhelmed by sporadic terrorists attacks all across the Country.
The HURIWA noted that a tragic incident had unfolded in Delta State, where a man, Godwin Anuka, was brutally killed by suspected Fulani herders after being kidnapped alongside his wife and two children in the Ubulu-Uku area.
The shocking development was revealed by Harrison Gwamnishu, the Senior Special Assistant on Civil Society and Youth Mobilisation to the Delta State Governor, in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
According to Gwamnishu, the kidnappers had abducted two individuals on March 23, taking them into the bush while demanding ransom. However, in a heartbreaking turn of events, Anuka was murdered in the presence of his wife and children.
He noted that while the kidnappers were hiding in the bush with the two abducted victims, they saw Anuka alongside his wife and two underage children working on their farm.
The HURIWA said it is worrisome that top-flight security chiefs would publicly vow to achieve an objective and when they fail, they simply pretend like they did not publicly make any affirmation to neutralise Turji Bello. “They told us about 6 months back that Turji Bello’s threats to attack communities in Zamfara and Sokoto state was the last kick of a dying horse and that his end is imminent. Six months later, TURJI BELLO is not only operating unhindered, but he is killing civilians for fun and staging religious ceremonies covered by his affiliates who are deploying modern technology such as drones and sophisticated phones to record videos of the events and distributing them to social media platforms. This should be the reason for the failed service chiefs to take the most honourable step and resign forthwith so fresh service chiefs can be entrusted with the job of achieving the war on terror within the specified time frame.”
Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, a former governor of Oyo State and a towering figure in Nigerian public life, has died just days before turning 90.
His passing was announced in a statement released on Sunday by Barrister Oladapo Ogunwusi on behalf of the Olunloyo family.
“With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State, mathematician and engineer, and renowned technocrat, a few days before his 90th birthday,” the statement said.
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Chief Olunloyo was not only a political leader but also an accomplished academic and traditional titleholder.
He held the positions of Balogun of Oyo and Otun Bobasewa of Ife, and played key roles in the development of education in Nigeria, serving as the pioneer Rector of both The Polytechnic, Ibadan and Kwara State Polytechnic.
The family described his death as a painful loss but expressed pride in his life of service.
“His long record of service to the nation and humanity is a source of pride to his family and associates, even as we come to grips with this devastating event,” the statement added.
They have requested privacy during this time of mourning and said that preparations are ongoing to give the late statesman a befitting burial.
The Executive Governor of Osun State, Asiwaju Ademola Adeleke has felicitated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his 73rd birthday anniversary.
According to Gov Adeleke, the number one citizen of Nigeria is “a resourceful democrat with tested decades of democratic activism”
In a birthday message he personally signed, Gov Adeleke recounted the huge contributions of Mr President to the economic and democratic development of the nation, citing his transformational days as the Lagos State governor and his ongoing bold reforms at the national level.
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The governor who lauded the president’s capacity to make bold decisions noted that this birthday is “an occasion to reflect on the goodness of Almighty God in the life of the first family and especially that of the Number One Citizen.
“Your life typifies divine grace and exceptional blessings from the beginning to date. You are a chosen one with all attributes of a blessed leader.
“Mr President, I pray that the divine hand that has been your guide and nurturer will continue to strengthen you as you govern this strategically important country of Africa.
“I use this opportunity to restate the continued commitment of the Osun state government under my leadership to closer mutual partnership between the Federal and the Osun state government. Mr President can count on us in the common task of delivering good governance and democratic dividends to our people.
“Our dear Asiwaju and Commander in Chief of this federation, as you celebrate your 73rd birthday, I pray to God to grant you more blessings and grace to continue to succeed in your presidential mandate and to live for more years in good health and prosperity.
“Happy blessed birthday, Mr President,” Gov Adeleke wrote.
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