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Grace Taiga, Nigerian official at the centre of P&ID scandal, is dead

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Grace Taiga, the former director of legal services at the petroleum ministry accused of collecting bribes from P&ID, has died.

TheCable confirmed from multiple sources that Taiga died in September 2023 after battling kidney issues — but the development was not made public by the family.

She will be buried in December in Delta state, sources in the know told TheCable without giving any further details.

Taiga served in the ministries of petroleum resources and defence before retiring in September 1, 2010.

TheCable could not confirm her exact age but she died in her mid-70s.

She was arrested and charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of receiving payments from P&ID to skew the controversial gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) against Nigeria.

The London Court of International Arbitration had awarded $6.6 billion plus seven percent interest against Nigeria in January 2017 for breach of contract.

The EFCC alleged that Taiga received illegal payments from Marshpearl Limited, a company controlled by the owners of P&ID, through her daughter.

After retirement, she reportedly continued receiving payments from P&ID directors.

She was also accused of failing to follow due process in giving legal advice on the GSPA.

In September 20, 2019, a federal high court in Abuja remanded her at the Suleja prison after she pleaded “not guilty” to an eight-count charge of fraud levelled against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Days later, she was granted a N10 million bail by the court.

‘TAIGA RECEIVED CORRUPT PAYMENTS’

On Monday, Robin Knowles, justice of the Commercial Courts of England and Wales, upheld Nigeria’s request to set aside the $11 billion arbitration award on the ground that it was obtained by fraud.

Taiga had appeared as a witness of P&ID in the proceedings before Knowles and was cross-examined by Nigeria.

In his ruling, Knowles said Taiga “certainly had a role in bringing about” the controversial gas agreement.

The judge said he is “quite satisfied that Nigeria is correct in its allegations” that bribes were paid to Taiga before and after the contract on behalf of P&ID.

“Shortly after the GSPA was entered into, on 29 March 2010, Ms Vera Taiga was paid £5,000 by Hobson Industries,” the judge ruled.

“The payment instruction was again signed by Mr Cahill. The pdf schedule ‘Taiga G – Sept 2019’ showed this payment against the name “Grace Taiga” and marked with the narrative “Gas Contract”.

“The timing of the payments is highly material, just before and just after the entry into the GSPA.

“The fact that, within the ICIL Group, they came from accounts of Marshpear and Hobson Industries and not P&ID is neither here nor there; ICIL Group was not run rigorously between companies.

“In authorising the payments Mr Cahill was, I find, acting for P&ID to incentivise and reward Ms Taiga in connection with the entry of the GSPA.

“They were deliberately kept secret from Nigeria. I am quite satisfied that Nigeria is correct in its allegation that these payments in December 2009 and March 2010 were bribes paid on behalf of P&ID to Mrs Grace Taiga’s benefit in connection with the entry into the GSPA.

“I reject as untrue the evidence of Mrs Grace Taiga and Mr Cahill, in particular, to the contrary.

“By some standards the sums received were not large in absolute terms, but they were in context: US$5,000 was, on her account, an amount equal to the annual salary of Mrs Grace Taiga before allowance and entitlements.

“The payments I have described were not disclosed to Nigeria, her employer, by Mrs Grace Taiga, or by P&ID and ICIL Group, and this was deliberate.”

The judge rejected the claim that the money sent to Taiga on behalf of P&ID was for medical expenses, adding that the lawyer knows that the “payments were corrupt”.

“But keeping these and other payments secret from her employer, Nigeria, was deliberate and the reason for this was that she knew the payments were corrupt rather than because she believed they were a private matter that was irrelevant to her employment,” the judge ruled.

BODY COUNT MOUNTING

Taiga’s death has added to the number of mortalities in the P&ID case.

Michael Quinn, co-founder of P&ID, died in 2015, a year after Lloyd, his son who was also involved in the company, passed.

Rilwanu Lukman, Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources who signed the GSPA with P&ID in January 2010, died in July 2014 at 75.

Neil Hitchcock, an engineer who acted as P&ID’s project director on the GSPA, died in December 2015.

Taofik Tijani, senior technical assistant to Lukman who also worked on the GSPA, died in March 2021.

There is no suggestion that the deaths are linked.

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Okpebholo, Idahosa sworn in as Edo governor, deputy

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Monday Okpebholo has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State after months he was elected to take over from Godwin Obaseki, who has completed his second term in office.

The Chief Justice of the state, Daniel Okungbowa, administered the oath to the governor and deputy governor at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, where they pledged to uphold the constitution and work for the well-being of the people of Edo State.”

Dignitaries including vice president Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Philip Shaibu, the reinstated deputy governor of Edo, and other governors from the APC were in attendance as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

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Nigerian Defence Academy opens applications for 77th regular course

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The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has officially opened online applications for the 77th Regular Course, providing opportunities for both male and female Nigerian candidates to enroll in military and academic training programs.

The application window, which began on November 6, 2024, will remain open until April 30, 2025 and successful applicants will undergo both academic and military training as Officer Cadets at the NDA for a period of five years.

Upon completion, cadets will be awarded a Bachelor’s degree in their field of study and will also receive a Presidential Commission into the Nigerian Armed Forces.

NDA is partnering with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the admissions process hence applicants must also register for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by JAMB, selecting the NDA as their first-choice institution.

“Candidates applying for admission into NDA must also apply to the year 2025 Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board and select NDA as their first choice institution,” they said.

Only candidates who meet the required UTME scores will be considered for further assessment. A score of 180 for Arts, Social Sciences, and Science programs, and 210 for Engineering courses.

Screening test 

The NDA screening test serves as the first phase of the Post-UTME assessment, will be conducted on Saturday, May 24, 2025. Eligible candidates are expected to bring the following documents to the test center:

  • Acknowledgment form
  • Screening Test Admission Card
  • JAMB result slip
  • Two passport-sized photographs (3.5 x 5 inches), showing only the chest upwards with essential candidate information written at the back

Candidates can begin the application process by visiting the NDA application portal at ndaapplications.net and selecting the “Purchase Access Code” option. For more enquiries visit the website here.

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Lagos state government removes 54 illegal shanties, dislodges 84 occupants beneath Eko Bridge

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The Lagos State Government on Monday cleared 54 illegal shanties and dislodged 84 occupants from beneath the Eko Bridge in the Ebute-Ero area of the state.

The operation, led by the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also saw the removal of eight makeshift toilets identified as contributors to open defecation and unsanitary conditions in the area.

This was revealed by Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), the Corps Marshal of LAGESC, in a statement shared on the agency’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

“In consolidation of existing efforts aimed at reducing the spate of environmental nuisances to the barest minimum in the metropolis, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) popularly known as KAI effected the removal of 54 illegal shanties which harboured 84 illegal occupants and 8 make-shift toilets beneath Eko Bridge at the Ebute-Ero area of the State on Monday,” the statement read in part.

The statement further revealed that Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole, who led the enforcement operation, explained that the action followed the expiration of a 7-day abatement notice, which had been issued but ignored by the occupants.

He noted that the Elegbeta Water Channel beneath the Eko Bridge had become a settlement for miscreants and illegal occupants, creating significant environmental and security concerns.

The area was characterized by indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the lagoon, its use as a criminal hideout, and widespread open defecation.

The operation was deemed necessary to address these issues and restore order and cleanliness to the affected area.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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