Concern has deepened in the ongoing contempt proceedings arising from the leadership crisis within the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) following reports that 12 contemnors are unaccounted for at the Kirikiri Minimum Security Correctional Centre, despite a valid court-ordered committal by the Lagos State High Court.
The issue came to light on Thursday when counsel to the claimant/applicants, Azubike Solomon Akpe, visited the Kirikiri facility to verify compliance with the Form 53 Warrant of Committal issued by Justice Lateefa Okunnu.
Officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) reportedly informed him that the contemnors could not be found in custody.
Those reportedly missing include Comrade Tayo Aboyeji, Chairman of the Lagos Zonal Council of NUPENG; Comrade Saheed G. Adigun, Zonal Chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch; Comrade Akeem Ogunmola, Treasurer, PTD; Comrade Adekunle Akinlaja, Secretary, PTD; Comrade Augustine Egbon, National Chairman of the PTD Branch; Comrade Musbau Olatunbosun, Chairman of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Unit; and Comrade Amusa Sulaimon, Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Natural Gas Operators (NANGAS) Unit.
Others are Comrade Sanni Auwal, Chairman of the A.A. Rano Oil Unit; Comrade Nurudeen Ajibade, Chairman of the Rain Oil Unit; Comrade Sikiru Onifade, Chairman of the Techno Oil Unit; Comrade Rasheed Oyetola, Chairman of the NIPCO Unit; and Comrade Muse Lawal, Chairman of the Mobil Oil Unit.
The development occurred less than 24 hours after court sheriffs executed the warrant and handed the contemnors over to NCoS officials at the Kirikiri axis, amid allegations that standard inmate-reception procedures were compromised.
Describing the situation as unprecedented, Akpe stressed that contemnors committed by court order must remain in custody until they purge themselves of contempt or are released by the court, adding that the claimants are preparing to formally draw the attention of the court to the apparent breach of Justice Okunnu’s subsisting orders.
Reports by Wahab Akinlade