• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home Economy Court Stops FG from taking further actions on disputed e-Customs Concession Project
  • Economy

Court Stops FG from taking further actions on disputed e-Customs Concession Project

By
Prnigeria
-
June 18, 2022
court Judiciary
court Judiciary Justice

Court Stops FG from taking further actions on disputed e-Customs Concession Project

A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Federal government from enforcing or giving effect to the controversial Customs Modernisation Project otherwise known as e- Custom allegedly executed by its agents on May 30, 2022 .

The agents who allegedly executed the disputed concession project are the Nigerian Custom Service, Trade Modernisation Project limited, Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria limited and African Finance Corporation.

The court also issued an order of interim injunction against the Federal government or its agents acting through the Federal Executive Council FEC from retrospectively ratifying the decisions to concession the Custom Modernisation Project also known as e- custom project to Trade Modernisation Project limited, Huawei Technologies Company limited and African Finance Corporation.

The restraining order issued by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja division of the court shall last till the hearing and the determination of a suit brought against the Federal Government by two aggrieved companies.

An enrol order issued by the court dated June 17, 2022 is signed by Justice Inyang Eden Ekwo and sighted by our correspondent.

The two aggrieved companies are, E-Customs HC Project Limited and Bionica Technologies ( (West Africa) Limited which jointly challenged the alleged unlawful and fraudulent concession of the e-custom project to African Finance Corporation

Counsel to the two aggrieved companies, Mr Anone Usman had on behalf of the two plaintiff’s argued an ex-parte application in which he prayed the Federal High Court for interim orders against the defendants to protect the interest of his clients.

Justice Inyang Ekwo while ruling on the ex-parte application granted the prayers of the plaintiffs having placed sufficient evidence of interest in the concession project.

The Judge also granted permission to the aggrieved companies to serve a Writ of Summons and all other processes on the African Finance Corporation at its head office, located Ikoyi, Lagos through DHL courier services.

Defendants in the suit are the Federal government of Nigeria, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Finance Minister, Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission, (IRCC) Nigeria Custom Service, Trade Modernization Project limited , Huawei Technologies limited, African Finance Corporation and Bergman Security Consultant and Supply limited as 1st to 9th defendants respectively.

Justice Ekwo subsequently fixed June 28 for hearing in the matter.

The two plaintiffs had in their statement of claims narrated how they proposed to carry out Custom Modernisation Project through several government officials for the benefits of the Nigerian Custom Service.

Read Also:

  • Kano Police Bust Armed Robbery Syndicate, Arrest 9 Suspects, Recover Weapons
  • Improving Nigeria’s Digital Safety Through Customs–NCC Synergy
  • Kwara Gov’t Disburses N180 Million to Families of Fallen Forest Guards, Vigilantes, Community Fighters

They claimed that after series of meetings and negotiations with some of the defendants, President Mohammudu Buhari granted anticipatory approval for the e- custom Project

They avered that on September 2 , 2020, the Minister of Finance presented a memo with number EC2020/153 to the Federal Executive Council, the highest decision making body of the federal government and secured approval for the two plaintiffs to be granted the award of the concession.

Plaintiffs further claimed that trouble started when the Nigeria Custom Service unilaterally reviewed the Federal Executive Council approval and imposed other conditions among which are shareholding formulae and governance structure on them.

They claimed that the power of the Nigeria Customs Serbice to unilaterally review FEC approval was protested and that the Comptroller General of the agency stood his ground .

Plaintiff asserted that to their surprise, they read in the news that the Nigeria Custom Service had executed a concession agreement with the Trade Modernisation Project on May 30 , 2022, with Huawei Technologies Company and African Finance Corporation in total breach of the Concession Agreement vetted by the AGF in conjunction with the Minister of Finance.

They avered that Tade Modernisation Project Limited was incorporated in April, 2022 at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with one Alhaji Saleh Ahmadu a close friend of the Comptroller General as the Chairman.

Plaintiff asserted that the new company, having been just incorporated in April 2022 could not have obtained and did not obtain the full business case compliance certificate from the Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission IRCC and the approval of the Federal Executive Council to carry out e- custom project.

They therefore asked the court to make declaration that the decisions of the federal government and its agent to enter into concession agreement with Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Huaewai Technologies Company and African Finance Corporation in respect of the e-customs project is illegal, null and void, having been made in gross violation of Section 2 of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission Act 2005.

They also asked the court to declare that e-Customs HC Project limited is the approved and rightful concessionaire for the e-customs project as approved by Federal Executive Council at its meeting of September 2 , 2020 and in line with Section 2 of the Infrastructure Regulatory Concession Commission Act.

They also applied for an order of the court directing the Federal Government through AGF, Finance Minister, IRCC and Customs to consulate the e- custom project with the 1st plaintiff, (E-Customs Project Limited) as approved by FEC in its September 2020 meeting.

Besides, the two plaintiffs asked the court to compell the defendants to pay them a sum of two hundred million naira (N200M) as cost of litigation.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Concession
  • Custom
  • FEC
Previous articleHow We’re Boosting Productivity in Civil Service – HoS, Yemi-Esan
Next articleIllicit Monies out of Africa Outweigh Development Grants into Continent – ICPC
Prnigeria
Prnigeria

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum

Gen. Irabor’s Book Exposes Boko Haram’s Sexual Violence Tactics and Drug Use

NDLEA Logo

NDLEA Operatives Nab Businessman After Excreting 127 Wraps of Cocaine at Kano Airport

Nigerian Youths

Foreign Hands and the Dangerous Narratives Hurting Nigeria, By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum

In Scars, Gen. Irabor Chronicles the Human Toll of Boko Haram: 2,700 Soldiers and 350,000 Lives Lost

Nigeria Customs Service Warns Public Against Fake Recruitment Shortlist

Troops Crush Terrorist Attack in Ngamdu, Kill Several Insurgents

Guests at IPRA Conference in Ghana

TRAVELOGUE: Of a Roadside Presidential Office, a Wise Driver and 3 Days in Ghana

GWA Award Winners 2025

Another Beautiful Evening for Nigeria Customs in Accra

NITDA Unveils Trustmark Platform for Safer E-Commerce in Nigeria

Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan

Tinubu Nominates Prof. Amupitan, a Northern Yoruba Scholar, as New INEC Chairman

Governor Umar Dikko Radda and Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, at Army Headquarters, Abuja.

Gov Radda Hails Troops’ Gallantry, Seeks for New Army Unit in Katsina

Tinubu: Shuttle Diplomacy and the Power of Showing Up

Recent Posts

  • Kano Police Bust Armed Robbery Syndicate, Arrest 9 Suspects, Recover Weapons
  • Improving Nigeria’s Digital Safety Through Customs–NCC Synergy
  • Kwara Gov’t Disburses N180 Million to Families of Fallen Forest Guards, Vigilantes, Community Fighters
  • DSS Warns Public Against another Dismissed Officer Impersonating Agency
  • Trump Arrives in Israel Ahead of Egypt Summit on Gaza Peace Efforts
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Kano Police Bust Armed Robbery Syndicate, Arrest 9 Suspects, Recover WeaponsImproving Nigeria’s Digital Safety Through Customs–NCC SynergyKwara Gov't Disburses N180 Million to Families of Fallen Forest Guards, Vigilantes, Community FightersDSS Warns Public Against another Dismissed Officer Impersonating AgencyTrump Arrives in Israel Ahead of Egypt Summit on Gaza Peace EffortsInformation Minister Congratulates Danlami Nmodu on Election as GOCOP PresidentFCT Police Raid Criminal Hideouts, Arrest 52 SuspectsPolice Reform Deepens as NASS Okays 2 Landmark Bills to Strengthen ForceAfrican body, experts urge leaders to step up countries' health financing By Timothy OlanrewajuSoldier, Wife Found Dead at Wawa Cantonment as Army Orders InvestigationGen. Irabor’s Book Exposes Boko Haram’s Sexual Violence Tactics and Drug UseIGP Reassigns Senior Police Officers to FCT, Kogi Commands Pending PSC ApprovalArmy Eliminates Wanted IPOB Commander, 26 Others, Rescue Hostages in Nationwide OperationsTinubu’s Presidential Pardon Encourages Criminality, Erodes Justice - AtikuTroops rescue abducted victims in Kwara as Police foil bandits attack in Abuja
X whatsapp