Court grants ex-director named in P&ID deal N10m bail

A high court in the federal capital territory (FCT) has granted bail to Grace Taiga, an ex-director in the ministry of petroleum resources, named in the controversial Process and Industrial Development Limited (P&ID) deal.

Last week,  Taiga was remanded in prison custody over her alleged role in the deal.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused her of receiving $20,000 as kickback for ensuring that the contract allegedly signed between the company and Nigeria sailed through.

P&ID had won a $9.6 billion judgement against Nigeria in a British court.

The company claimed it entered a contract to build a gas processing plant in Calabar, Cross River state, with the Nigerian government, but that the deal collapsed because the government did not fulfil its own end of the bargain.

It then sued the country, and secured judgement in its favour. Nigeria is seeking to have the verdict upturned.

At the court on Wednesday, Olukayode Adeniyi, the judge, asked her to produce two sureties who are civil servants not below the directorate cadre.

Adeniyi said he did not order the defendant to submit her international passport because of her health condition.

The judge said she should inform the court and her sureties if there is a need to travel abroad for treatment.

Ola Olanikpekun, counsel to Taiga, had informed the court that his client was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.