Applicant’s counsel absence stalls contempt proceedings against Amnesty Coordinator

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Absence of Applicant’s Counsel on Monday stalled a contempt suit filed by Ex-Agitators against Col Milland Dikio (rtd), Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme over noncompliance to court judgement.

Some 147 Ex-Militants, through their Counsel Richard Turner are seeking the enforcement of the court judgement to compel Dikio to pay the judgement debt.

When the case was mentioned before Justice I.H. Ndahen who inherited the case from Justice Awogboro Abimbola, both the plaintiff and defendant and their counsels were absent, and the judge made no pronouncement.

The ex-militants had in  suit no. FHC/YNG/CS/70/2019 accused the Amnesty office of diverting the slots and stipends for the 147 ex-militants in two camps of 75 and 72 members from 2011 till date.

Abimbola had on Nov. 13, 2020 in a consent judgement following agreed settlement terms between both parties ruled that the diversion of lots and stipends were unlawful and ordered for its reinstatement.

Abimbola had awarded a damage of N20 million for the 72 slots of Agbalagbabo camp and payment of 50 per cent of their total entitlements from April 2011 to Sept amounting to N238.68 million as final settlement.

She equally ruled that the Amnesty Office should pay a damage of N20 million to the 75 militants of the Benuwolo camp and payment of 50 per cent of their total entitlements from Jan 2011 to Sept 2019 amounting to N255.94 million as final settlement.