NewStats: 3,261,931 , 8,175,569 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 05:37 AM r1tj

The supreme court has upheld the 30-day prison sentence of Alex Okoh, former director-general (DG) of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), for failing to obey an order since 2012.

In the judgment delivered on Friday, the apex court also awarded N20 million cost against Okoh and BPE in favour of BFIGroup, a Nigerian-American consortium.

BACKGROUND

In December 2019, Anwuli Chikere, judge of a federal high court in Abuja, ordered the arrest and imprisonment of Okoh.

The judge accused Okoh of serial disobedience of the supreme court order over the ownership controversy of the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON).

BFIG had won the bid to take over ALSCON in 2004 but was disqualified by the BPE under the leadership of Okoh.

In 2012, the supreme court declared BFIG the rightful winner of the bid for ALSCON but the BPE refused to hand over ownership to the firm.


BFIG initiated a contempt suit against the BPE and Okoh, its DG, for failing to obey the supreme court order.

However, despite being issued a notice of the commencement of contempt proceedings, popularly called Form 48 which stated the consequences of disobeying court order, the BPE DG refused to appear in court to answer to the allegations against him.

The federal high court held that the continued refusal of Okoh to obey the supreme court order was a fundamental violation of the rule of law, which portrayed the government as lawless.

In January 2022, the court of appeal upheld the judgment of the federal high court.


APPEAL AT SUPREME COURT

Dissatisfied with the court of appeal decision, the BPE filed an appeal before the supreme court.

However, the appeal was dismissed on Friday.

Aside from the N20 million fine, the apex court issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining BPE from going into any negotiations or contract with any other investor over the sale of the federal government equity in ALSCON.

Also, the court ordered the immediate sack from the plant of UC RUSAL, a Russian firm, that the BPE handed over the plant to after cancelling the declaration of BFIG as winner of the bid.

Meanwhile, early in January, President Bola Tinubu sacked Okoh from office as BPE DG

https://www.thecable.ng/contempt-of-court-scourt-upholds-committal-of-ex-bpe-dg-alex-okoh-to-prison/amp

Very good...

Nigerians in position of trust always find a way to connive with foreigners to steal our commonwealth.

Case in point is this despicable man that sold ALSCON to the Russians who have gone ahead to strip off the massive equipments in ALSCON despite that a competent bidder won the sale process...

Why is the average Nigerian just corrupt

The many travails of Okoh

This man is suppose to be a well accomplished man and a pastor too, now he has been made to understand that no one is above the law. Kudos to the supreme court on this.

Sabadon:


Why is the average Nigerian just corrupt

Like I use to say, this is the corruption percentage of Nigeria;

Govt : 10%

Nigerians: 90% (Religion 15%, Tribe 15%, Greed 60%)


Govt only constitution little of our problem due to some policy that doesn't work but don't forget that's we don't import rulers, same Nigerians enter govt and start Misbehaving.


So sad

Was he thinking that he is above the law earlier?

He probably have interest in the Russian firm that the BPE handed over the plant to after cancelling the declaration of BFIG as winner of the bid.

Corruption has mercilessly dealt with Nigeria

.

Okoh go don kolo by now. Its not just raining on him, it's pouring

Sacked by Tinubu this January, send to prison this same January

Why is it that once corruption is discovered to have been perpetrated by an easterner the consequences is severe. I have noticed this.

Sabadon:


Why is the average Nigerian just corrupt

it's very obvious that you didn't read the article.

You should try and read it now to understand what was discussed there

Imprisoned or not, the money has already been embezzle and gone for forever, corruption will not finish this country one day

Case started in 2012 and finalized in 2024.12 good years! Nigeria my country, what were they doing since? Giving Okoh time to gather more money before he finally left

Victm mentality always. This why I have refused to be associated with easterners. Let me remain my anioma delta. You were here when someone like kalu was released from prison like never done before but he is not igbo I suppose. Okoh is even from agbor. A people who believe they are from benin and don't want anything to do with igbos

skj1377:
Why is it that once corruption is discovered to have been perpetrated by an easterner the consequences is severe. I have noticed this.

Tinubu is doing well with this one. Imagine that the activities of this company (ALSCON) has been in limbo since 2004. SMH!!!

Papparassi:


https://www.thecable.ng/contempt-of-court-scourt-upholds-committal-of-ex-bpe-dg-alex-okoh-to-prison/amp

Make e sleep there

Court just dey jail anybody these days. No sacred cows again.

Chekwume16:
Victm mentality always. This why I have refused to be associated with easterners. Let me remain my anioma delta. You were here when someone like kalu was released from prison like never done before but he is not igbo I suppose. Okoh is even from agbor. A people who believe they are from benin and don't want anything to do with igbos

Sorry, if I knew I would have kept quiet. That place is known for deadly armed robbery attacks on travellers . Hmmm.

billionman:
This man is suppose to be a well accomplished man and a pastor too, now he has been made to understand that no one is above the law. Kudos to the supreme court on this.

So he is a Pastor too? No wonder!! I have always said that religion is just a cover.

They should have added lashes of the cane to the idiot!

skj1377:
Why is it that once corruption is discovered to have been perpetrated by an easterner the consequences is severe. I have noticed this.

How fast can we give these folks their Biafra Abeg.
Let them go, where ever they want to go.
This one has brought tribe into this.
Why are guys like This?

Damn since growing up I have been hearing about ALSCON, so it has been in limbo since; even Ajaokuta steel company; damn again this nation is bleeding mehn

ALSCON held so much promise but things never picked up.

This judgement is a good one. The man thinks he is above the law, even using BPE resources to take a case to the Supreme Court. He personally have a stake with RUSAL the Russian firm.

Long overdue.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Chekwume16:
Victm mentality always. This why I have refused to be associated with easterners. Let me remain my anioma delta. You were here when someone like kalu was released from prison like never done before but he is not igbo I suppose. Okoh is even from agbor. A people who believe they are from benin and don't want anything to do with igbos

Both you and the person you quoted are talking nonsense, wetin bring Igbos inside this matter. Let the man serve his punishment, I don't think any Igbo person gives a rat ass, how many Igbos benefited from the corruption in BPE

111sunshine:
Very good...

Nigerians in position of trust always find a way to connive with foreigners to steal our commonwealth.

Case in point is this despicable man that sold ALSCON to the Russians who have gone ahead to strip off the massive equipments in ALSCON despite that a competent bidder won the sale process...

Just to add up to what you have mentioned and I come in peace.

RUSAL, the current owners of ALSON for 6% of aluminium production globally. Its owned by Russian oligarch Deri olepaska. Roman Abrahimovich used to be one pf the largest shareholders.

RUSAL tried reviving the facility but the cost of producing 1 ton of aluminum was over $2,000 per ton due to gas constraints and cost of imported alumina(energy cost for 30% of proudicyion). Aluminium trades slightly over $2,000.

Rusal average opex cost in most of its smeltersin Russia and Co. is less than $1,500 per ton.

That Alson facility would most likely not see the light pf the day in years to come.

Chekwume16:
Victm mentality always. This why I have refused to be associated with easterners. Let me remain my anioma delta. You were here when someone like kalu was released from prison like never done before but he is not igbo I suppose. Okoh is even from agbor. A people who believe they are from benin and don't want anything to do with igbos

Yoruba
Shut up