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Curtailing Abuse Of Our Law By Foreigners By G. A. Rotiba
The Nigerian Constitution stands as the legal entity on which the state and the entire citizenry operate. This includes the internal and external members of the Nigeria society.
The constitution, which is made for man, is a legal document, which regulates and enhances governance in the country. The same constitution provides for individual rights without infringing on the rights of others. It is also the frame of reference for judicial institutions and other organizations operating within the nook and crannies of Nigeria. It is supreme over individuals and corporate organizations and its provisions are irreversible unless rigorous and sapping amendments are undertaken.
In the past it was very difficult to disobey court summons and rulings without the court issuing warrant of arrest and prosecution irrespective of those involved. But this process has been abused.
It may be necessary to call the attention of the present administration to the importance of observance of the rules of law, especially the way and manner most international organizations breach court orders and disrespect the laws of the land.
Nigeria as a member of the United Nations has signed several treaties and agreements on according respect to foreigners likewise, the foreigners and their investments operate within the ambit of the law. Foreigners may have freedom but not to abuse the privileges in unnecessary involvement in shady deals capable of tarnishing their reputation, investment that may likely lead to deportation.
The attention of the government of Nigeria is hereby drawn to an issue that could be classified as corrupt practices the main crusade be embarked upon by the immediate past administrations and now inherited by the present administration of president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Its believed that before a corporate body can operate a business ventures in Nigeria either being foreign or indigenous, must frustrate all registered and be licensed.
In another development such company either Ltd or unlimited must also operate a business with under due process. It is now clean that some of the expatriate companies now disguised to fraud without care of what the consequence or out come may be because they have immunity to do so.
This writer was allowed access to some vital document of a case between a Nigerian business man, known and called I.T Olabode Nigeria Enterprises with Mr. Ismaila Tijani Olabode as the chief executive officer and an international non- governmental organization known and called international committee of the Red Cross with the head quarter at plot 436 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.
According to available document the case was properly established on the fact that despite that there was no written document there was a verbal agreement which was an established term not first or second on which more contract has been executed between the two corporate bodies.
Secondly there were standing witnesses of both parties to the deal, which automatically form parts of how contracts can be sealed and delivered.
The present development not withstanding the case was already in court and is still in court and judgment passed by the court must be accepted by the parties concerned because that court stand as the only redress measure to uphold the rule of law and the law of the land- the constitution.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry’s intervention in this matter is not enough because it is believed that the Ministry should not misinterpret the issue of immunity to cause havoc against the law of the country and citizen. The silent attitude of the Ministry or the delay in pronouncement after having invited the complainant to the dialogue table indicated justice delayed, amounts to justice denied.
It is believed the present Minister of Interior should as a matter of fact play a vital role in the matter to see that he completes what his predecessor on the case started. We want to implore the present Musa Yar’Adua-led Federal Government to embark on continued fighting of corrupt foreign expatriates who use Nigeria as a dumping venue to perpetrate, aid and abet corrupt practices.
This, as a matter of fact, was over-delayed and deserves to be investigated and the culprits brought to book. We therefore plead with President Yar’Adua to request the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate this matter and allow justice to prevail.
The case become more government oriented due to the involved expatriate’s personality and the earlier intervention of the Ministry of Interior, who after sighting danger under its jurisdiction, invited the complainant to dialogue but failed to conclude properly.
Most unfortunate, is the silent attitude of the Ministry after the dialogue. It is not in our interest to escalate this matter rather to encourage peace to reign supreme between the two parties.
I therefore request the international committee of the Red Cross to act fast for settlement and prevent their organization of further actions capable of tarnishing the image of their organization.
We have not gone and do not want to go into the details of the matter until when we discover that all avenues explored for reconciliation and settlement have failed.
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