The P&ID case and the audacity of integrity, By Umar Yakubu
The narrative we must embrace is simple, clear, and unyielding: the final victory, cemented by the UK Supreme Court’s ruling, belongs squarely to the EFCC, led by the determined Magu, and ably supported by dedicated officers like Sanga, Babangida, Abba and co., coupled with the decisive financial and legal fortitude from Governor Emefiele and Kofo Abdulsalam at the CBN. They were the torchbearers of integrity.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. — Martin Luther King Jr.
The finality of the UK Supreme Court’s decision on the P&ID case — insisting that the fraudulent firm should cough up £44 million in legal costs — is more than a legal victory; it is a profound moral vindication for a nation facing humiliation. As reported by ThisDay Live and NTA on 23rd October, the ruling against P&ID marked the final, emphatic period on a decade of brazen deceit, manipulation, and high-level sabotage that plagued the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yet, let’s be crystal clear: this victory was not the expected product of a unified, functioning government effort. On the contrary, it was the effort of a few dedicated, tenacious individuals who dared to fight corruption, even as their own colleagues in high places played the part of willing saboteurs.
The narrative of countering this economy-threatening fraud, an $11 billion scheme that could have crippled our nation, has a cast of heroes whose names, though I know they don’t want to be mentioned, deserve to be etched in the annals of national service. They are the ones who refused to be pacified or corrupted, as emphasised in an earlier article, which called for a cessation of the practice of ‘pacifying the villains and neglecting the heroes.’ It’s time we finally acknowledged the true architects of this survival.
The Uncompromising Vanguard: EFCC’s Daring Role
The battle began not in London, but with the unwavering efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), then under the leadership of Chairman Ibrahim Mustapha Magu. While others equivocated, offered excuses, or, worse, actively undermined the state’s efforts, Magu and his team executed the crucial leg work that ultimately saved the nation. Magu’s tenacity was not just commendable; it was legendary and necessary. He found indispensable allies in officers like Bala Sanga, Umar Babangida Abba (SAN) and other members of the team. Other silent officers may have also provided support. These men and their colleagues risked their careers and personal safety to dig up the dirt that exposed P&ID’s operation as a colossal fraud. They weren’t simply fighting against a typical commercial dispute; they were fighting a well-funded, international syndicate with deeply entrenched local connections, which were ready to compromise Nigeria’s sovereign integrity. This was the work of true crime fighters, a demonstration of courage and patriotism that far outstripped the tepid, half-hearted, or actively detrimental actions of officials from other organisations. The intelligence painstakingly gathered by the EFCC — detailing the corrupt payments and the genesis of the fraud — became the very bedrock of Nigeria’s successful challenge in the English courts. Their evidence, quite literally, blew the fraudulent arbitral award to pieces.
While other agencies were reportedly paralysed by indecision or engaged in internal wrangling that served P&ID’s agenda, Emefiele’s timely and strategic financial backing was the absolute game-changer. The staggering costs of a long trial in the UK High Court could not wait for bureaucratic delays or, worse, sabotage from within the system.
The Financial Pillar and Legal Fortitude: CBN’s Crucial Support
A legal battle of this magnitude — fought on foreign soil, against a well-bankrolled, ruthlessly aggressive firm with top-tier international lawyers and local collaborators — requires immense and immediate financial firepower denominated in foreign currency. This critical lifeline was provided by the then Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. Yes, the same Emefiele that is now being prosecuted largely because of his political misadventure. If it were for corruption alone, there are others who were much worse than him. The necessary political backing had come from the then Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
While other agencies were reportedly paralysed by indecision or engaged in internal wrangling that served P&ID’s agenda, Emefiele’s timely and strategic financial backing was the absolute game-changer. The staggering costs of a long trial in the UK High Court could not wait for bureaucratic delays or, worse, sabotage from within the system. Crucially, the CBN, under the expert guidance of its then Director of Legal Services, Kofo Abdulsalam, provided both the necessary foreign exchange funds and the vital strategic legal counsel. It was the CBN’s decisive and quick action on the financial front that ensured Nigeria could retain the top-flight, globally respected legal representation necessary to articulate the EFCC’s unearthed evidence with professional competence. Had this funding been delayed or denied, P&ID would have secured a default judgment, our national assets would have been forfeited, and the nation would have crumbled under the weight of the award.
It takes a special kind of villainy to be in a position of authority and actively or passively aid an entity trying to defraud your country of $11 billion! These individuals were not merely incompetent; they were, in effect, saboteurs of the highest order. They created a hostile and toxic environment for dedicated patriots, like Magu and his team, and their actions made the eventual victory exponentially harder and more expensive.
The Obstructionists and Saboteurs: Aiding the Enemy Within
The failure and, in many instances, outright sabotage came from agencies that should have been Nigeria’s most fervent defenders, but it was the coordinated effort between the EFCC and CBN that saved the day. The stark truth is that a host of actors, particularly those within the leading Ministry and various shadowy figures in the Villa, seemed intent on either paralysing the state’s defence or actively benefiting from its potential failure. They stalled crucial legal filings, compromised strategic decisions, and prioritised personal or parochial interests over the fate of the nation. It takes a special kind of villainy to be in a position of authority and actively or passively aid an entity trying to defraud your country of $11 billion! These individuals were not merely incompetent; they were, in effect, saboteurs of the highest order. They created a hostile and toxic environment for dedicated patriots, like Magu and his team, and their actions made the eventual victory exponentially harder and more expensive. The fact that Nigeria was able to win in spite of its own high-ranking officials, is a damning indictment of the rot at the core of our governance.
The narrative we must embrace is simple, clear, and unyielding: the final victory, cemented by the UK Supreme Court’s ruling, belongs squarely to the EFCC, led by the determined Magu, and ably supported by dedicated officers like Sanga, Babangida, Abba and co., coupled with the decisive financial and legal fortitude from Governor Emefiele and Kofo Abdulsalam at the CBN. They were the torchbearers of integrity. Everyone else, particularly those who dragged their feet, obstructed justice, or created a climate of fear and confusion, must be seen for what they truly were: the domestic enablers of an international fraud. Our nation owes its financial survival not to the often-mentioned, and often-failing, ‘system’, but to the audacity of these few true patriots. Nigeria must not only remember those who are its heroes, but must honour and protect them.
Umar Yakubu is the Executive Director of Center for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity.