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In a landmark judgment by Nigeria’s Supreme Court, Alex Okoh, the former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), is facing a 30-day imprisonment for contempt of court.
This outcome is a significant development in the prolonged legal dispute over the ownership of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).
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The controversy began with the privatization of ALSCON, where BFIGroup, a Nigerian-American consortium, emerged as the winning bidder in 2004.
However, the BPE disqualified BFIGroup, leading to an extended legal battle. The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment in 2012, affirmed BFIGroup as the successful bidder for ALSCON, ordering the company to be transferred to the group.
Despite this directive, the BPE under Okoh’s leadership did not comply, leading to a series of legal proceedings. The Federal High Court in Abuja, in 2019, ordered Okoh to be remanded in prison for a minimum of 30 days for disobeying the Supreme Court’s order. The Appeal Court later upheld this judgment, and now the Supreme Court has affirmed it.
The Supreme Court’s decision is not just about the imprisonment of a former public official; it represents a critical stance on the adherence to the rule of law in Nigeria, especially in high-stakes business transactions.
This series of legal proceedings demonstrates the judiciary’s commitment to uphold the rule of law and the sanctity of its decisions in Nigeria. The case highlights the importance of compliance with judicial orders by public officials and the potential consequences of non-compliance.
