A Chinese firm, Hebbelyixin Fastener Company Limited, alongside a consortium of companies in Nigeria, Duluidas Nigeria Limited, Duliz Dredging and Construction Limited and Consortium of Duluidas Nigeria Limited, have sued the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), over an alleged rail contract inflation scam.
In the case filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, the plaintiffs are alleging that Amaechi and Malami allegedly awarded a 190km rail line construction worth N91.5 billion to another Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), without due process.
In the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1426/2021, which also listed the CCECC as co-defendants, the plaintiffs are praying the court for an injunction restraining all the defendants from “awarding or purporting to award the contract to the CCECC firm or any third party on the basis of the allegedly flawed bidding process.”
In the writ of summons issued by their lead counsel, James Okoh, the plaintiffs are asking the Court to cancel the “No Objection letter issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in favour of CCECC for award of the N91.5 billion rail line contract, in breach of procurement laws, and re-issue same in their favour.”
According to the plaintiffs, the disputed contract was for reconstruction of narrow gauge track from Minna, in Niger State to Baro, with extension to Baro River Port, to be completed…
