A New York Federal Judge, lorna Schofield has granted Nigeria’s request for a subpoena on 10 United States banks for information to prosecute government officials allegedly connected to the Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) alleged bribery scheme and subsequent $9.6 billion claims.
Alexander Pencu, a partner of Meister Seelig & Fein LLP, attorneys to the Federal Republic of Nigeria filed the subpoena along with the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The affected banks listed are; “Citibank, N.A. (Citibank), Allied Irish Banks plc (“Allied Irish”), HSBC Bank USA (“HSBC”), Standard New York, Inc. (“Standard New York”), Deutsche Bank Trust Co. Americas (“Deutsche Bank”), J.P. Morgan Chase (“JPMorgan”), United Bank for Africa (“UBA”), Bank of Cyprus, Fortis Private Banking Singapore Limited (“Fortis”), and Standard Chartered International (USA) Ltd. (‘Standard Chartered”).
The Judge, who granted the request asked the affected banks to allow the Nigerian government access the information they need to prove their case.
Former political office holders whose accounts are expected to be accessed by the Nigerian government include former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience Jonathan; former ministers of Petroleum, late, Rilwanu Lukman; Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former petroleum minister during Jonathan’s administration, Allison Amaechina Madueke and the former AGF and minister of justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).
Others named in the subpoena are Taofiq Tijani; Grace Taiga; Mohammad Kuchazi; one Michael Quinn, who died in 2014; James Nolan; Adam Quinn; and Ibrahim Dikko.
It is also speculated that some officials of the banks might testify in the case.
Nigeria’s chances of overturning the $9.6 billion arbitration award lie on proving the 2010 gas supply arrangement was a sham designed to fail by P&ID and government officials.
This is, however, coming after former President Goodluck Jonathan denied having an account or property abroad.
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