The Federal gGovernment says Glencore, a British mining and trading group, is expected to pay Nigeria a $50 million penalty for bribery.

Lateef Fagbemi, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday during the ministerial sectoral update for the present administration.

He said the resolution was reached after the federal government entered a settlement agreement with the firm.

“The ministry on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on April 25, 2024, concluded negotiation of a settlement agreement with Glencore International A.G. wherein Glencore is expected to pay the sum of $50 million as penalty and compensation for certain activities in Nigeria,” he said.

THE GLENCORE TRAGEDY

In May 2022, the United States department of justice said Glencore, and its United Kingdom subsidiaries, entered into multiple agreements to purchase crude oil and refined petroleum products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through shady deals.

In Nigeria alone, the department said Glencore and its subsidiaries paid more than $52 million to the intermediaries, intending that those funds be used, at least in part, to pay bribes to Nigerian officials.

In the same month, Glencore agreed to pay about $1.5 billion in total to resolve investigations in the US, United Kingdom and Brazil — of which $1.06 billion was payable to agencies in the US and Brazil.

A London court, In November 2022, ordered Glencore to pay a $310.6 million (£276.4 million) penalty for seven bribery offences in relation to its oil operations in Africa.

Glencore had pleaded guilty to five counts of bribery in relation to a total of $26.9 million, which was paid “primarily to officials in state-owned oil companies” in Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

The company also admitted to two charges of failing to prevent bribery over payments of approximately $1 million to agents in Equatorial Guinea and South Sudan, to secure “valuable oil contracts”.

When Nigeria, in October 2022, tried to claim compensation from the British mining and trading group, a UK judge ruled that the nation did not have the right to be heard.

FAGBEMI: NIGERIA TO RECEIVE £2.1M FROM BAILIWICK OF JERSEY

Speaking further, Fagbemi said Nigeria is set to receive about £2.1 million in corruption proceeds from the Bailiwick of Jersey.

“The ministry achieved the following successes under its international asset recovery and management efforts,” he said.

“The asset sharing agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Bailiwick of Jersey was signed in February 2024 for the return of £2,125,944 proceeds of corruption.”

Fagbemi said the proceeds have been approved by President Bola Tinubu to continue works on the Abuja-Kano road project.

Abba Yusuf, the Kano governor, has ordered “the immediate arrest” of Aminu Ado Bayero, the dethroned Emir.

The governor ordered Bayero’s arrest “for creating tension in the state”.

Bayero arrived Kano in the wee hours of Saturday to a hero’s welcome from his supporters.

Muhammadu Sanusi, who was reinstated as Emir at a colourful ceremony on Friday, arrived at the palace at 1am on Saturday alongside the deputy governor, speaker of the state assembly, and other top government functionaries.

Bayero’s aircraft touched down hours later and his convoy was soon speeding from the Aminu Kano International Airport into the bright lights of the city.

The governor’s orders for Bayero’s arrest was contained in a statement issued by Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, his spokesperson.

“The Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has ordered the immediate arrest of the former Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, for creating tension in the state,” the statement reads.

“The former Emir was smuggled into Kano city last night in an attempt to forcefully return to the palace two days after being deposed by the Governor.

“As the Chief Security Officer of the state, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has directed the Commissioner of Police to arrest the deposed Emir with immediate effect for disturbing public peace and attempting to destroy the relative peace the state enjoys.”

BACKGROUND

Sanusi became the 14th Emir of Kano in 2014 after the death of Ado Bayero. He was turbaned during the administration of Rabiu Kwankwaso, then governor of the state.

However, Sanusi was dethroned in 2020 by Abdullahi Ganduje, Kwankwaso’s successor, over allegations of insubordination.

Aminu Bayero, son of the late Bayero and Emir of Bichi, was installed as Sanusi’s replacement.

On Thursday, the Kano state assembly repealed the law which was used to unseat Sanusi and balkanise the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions.

Consequently, Yusuf announced the reinstatement of Sanusi as Emir after signing the new Kano Emirate Council Law.

Hours later, a federal high court in Kano ordered the state government not to enforce the Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

The order issued by Mohammed Liman, the judge, asked the defendants to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019”.

Aminu Ado Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano, has arrived the ancient city.

Bayero was dethroned as Emir on Thursday after the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-controlled house repealed a 2019 emirate law that was used to oust Muhammadu Sanusi in 2020.

Sanusi was reinstated as Emir on Friday by Abba Yusuf, Kano governor, at a colourful ceremony in government house.

Bayero has been in Ogun state since the intrigues that ousted him assumed a frenetic pace this week.

The aircraft which conveyed the deposed Emir touched down at the Aminu Kano International Airport at around 4:30am.

Bayero was immediately surrounded by his supporters who chanted a verse from Surah Al-Fatihah in the Holy Quran.

“You (alone) we worship, and you (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything),” they chorused.

Bayero’s cavalcade was soon speeding through the lit roads of the city purportedly for the palace.