Court stops FG from planned Ajaokuta Steel Company concession

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Court stops FG from planned Ajaokuta Steel Company concession

A High Court in Kogi State has restrained the Federal Government from its planned concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company at Itakpe. Both companies are located in Kogi State.

The Federal Government had commenced the concession process for the two companies with an advertisement in national dailies.

However, in a suit with number HCL/211M/2023 filed by the Attorney-General of Kogi State on behalf of the state, the court was asked, through a motion ex parte, to give an order for a stay of action on the concession process pending the determination of the substantive matter before the court.

Leading seven other lawyers, M. Y. Abdullahi (SAN) drew the attention of the court to the affidavit of urgency deposed to in the application while seeking the orders.

Delivering his ruling, the state Chief Judge, Justice Josiah Majebi, found substance in the motion and granted the application. He ruled, “In the circumstance, I hold that the grant of order of interim injunction is appropriate and necessary to preserve the res in this case as a matter of urgency and to prevent a situation of irreparable damage to the applicant as one having interest in the 5th and 6th defendants pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

He consequently granted the application accordingly.

The defendants in the matter are the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, the Bureau of Public Enterprise, Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company. The motion on notice has been scheduled for hearing on May 4, 2023.