TDA coalition of Nigerian civil society organisations has sounded the alarm over the recent appointment of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
The coalition urged the National Assembly to exercise its constitutional oversight powers and halt the nomination.
This was contained in a detailed petition addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The coalition catalogued a series of unresolved court judgments, debt recovery proceedings, and criminal charges against Ibrahim.
They warned that his appointment risks damaging Nigeria’s credibility at the world’s foremost multilateral institution.
Court Judgments and Debt Recovery
The coalition’s letter highlights a troubling legal history:
- 2013: The National Industrial Court in Abuja ruled against Ibrahim in a case brought by former staff of NICON Airways, awarding ₦1.5 billion in unpaid salaries.
Justice M.N. Esowe went further, lifting the corporate veil and holding Ibrahim personally liable for fraud against the workers.
- 2017: Ibrahim’s appeal was dismissed, with Justice E.N. Agbakoba famously declaring that the court “cannot be used as an engine of fraud.”
Despite these rulings, workers report that ₦808.7 million in arrears and ₦8.1 million in unremitted pension contributions remain unpaid nearly two decades later.
- 2020: The Federal High Court in Lagos authorised the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to seize 12 properties belonging to Ibrahim and his companies, Global Fleet Oil & Gas Limited and NICON Investment Limited, over a ₦69.4 billion debt.
- 2021: The Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, describing Ibrahim’s repayment efforts as “recalcitrant and unenthusiastic.”
The seized properties include high-profile assets such as NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja, NICON Hotels at Victoria Garden City in Lagos, and Energy House in Ikoyi.
Aviation Loan Diversion
The coalition also reminded lawmakers of findings by the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Aviation.
The report concluded that Air Nigeria collapsed after Ibrahim allegedly diverted a ₦35.5 billion government aviation intervention loan into his private company, NICON Investment Limited.
Although the Senate passed a resolution in 2014 directing the Central Bank of Nigeria to recover the funds, enforcement has stalled, leaving the matter unresolved.
Criminal Charges
Beyond civil judgments, Ibrahim faces active criminal proceedings:
- The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) (now Nigeria Revenue Service [NRS]) filed a 10-count charge against him.
FIRS alleged ₦4.86 billion in unpaid taxes and the use of forged Tax Clearance Certificates to renew expatriate quota positions for 30 employees.
- In 2016, NICON Insurance offices were sealed over ₦182.7 million in unremitted taxes, underscoring a pattern of alleged tax evasion.
Civil society groups argue that allowing Ibrahim to represent Nigeria abroad while facing such charges is incompatible with the country’s rule of law obligations.
Civil Society Demands
The coalition urged the National Assembly to take immediate steps:
- Convene an emergency joint committee hearing with AMCON, NRS, EFCC, and workers’ representatives.
- Investigate the status of the unenforced 2014 Senate resolution on aviation funds.
- Pass a resolution urging the President to withdraw Ibrahim’s appointment until debts and criminal charges are resolved.
- Request progress reports from AMCON and NRS on debt recovery and prosecution.
Implications for Nigeria’s Global Standing
The letter concludes with a stark warning: Nigeria’s representation at the UN is a matter of public trust.
Appointing an envoy with unresolved fraud and tax cases, the coalition argues, “is an affront to Nigeria’s rule of law obligations and its international standing.”
Civil society leaders insist that the National Assembly must act decisively to protect Nigeria’s reputation and ensure that its diplomats embody integrity and accountability.
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