City Crime

Contempt Of Court

Published

5 years ago

May 19, 2021

Contempt of court is a behaviour that opposes or defies the authority, justice and dignity of the court. When an order of court is disobeyed, it affects the dignity of the court in the administration of justice and courts do not treat such conduct with levity. According to U. Mohammed, J.S.C. in Okonofua Vincent Omoijahe V. Uwesu Omonu & Ors (1999) SC, it is justice itself that is flouted by contempt of court, not individual court or judge who is attempting to administer it. Also, in the case of Atake V. Attorney General of the Federation (1982) LPELR 586 (SC) Idigbe JSC states as follows:
It is indeed difficult to give exact definition of contempt of court, and this is because it is so manifold in its aspect … but generally it may be described as any conduct which tends to bring into disrespect, scorn or disrepute the authority and administration of the law or which tends to interfere with and/or prejudice litigants and/or their witnesses in the course of litigation.
There are two types of contempt, contempt in faciecuriea, which means contempt in the face of the courts, and ex facie curiea which means contempt outside the court. Contempt in the face of the court may arise as a result of disrespectful conduct or comments made in the courtroom by a contemnor when proceedings are going on which is heard and seen by the judge which undermines the dign ity of the court or which interferes with the administration of justice. Note that the law of contempt only exists to uphold and ensure effective administration of justice. The power of court to punish for contempt must always be exercised to secure and protect the authority of the court. Because it is not every act of discourtesy to the court by counsel that amounts to contempt.
The Supreme court of Nigeria in the case of INEC & Anor V. Oguebego & Ors, held that whilst considering the instances when words or actions used in the face of the court or in course of proceedings be deemed contemptuous, held as follows: “For words or actions in the face of the court or in course of proceedings to be deemed contempt, they must be such that would interfere with the course of justice. A superior court of record has the inherent jurisdiction to deal with contempt in facie curiea and punish for the offence summarily. In must once again be emphasised that summary powers for punishing for contempt should however be used sparingly and only in serious cases…”
Ex-facie curiea which is contempt outside the court arises from disobedience and obstruction of lawful court order when this is the case, the court is entitled to invoke its innate powers to punish an erring party, by committing them to prison. The procedure for punishment of the contempt is governed by the Sheriff and Civil Process Act LFN 2004 (SCPA) and Order 9 Rule 13 of Judgment Enforcement Rules. Section 72 of the SCPA provides that: “If any person refuses or neglects to comply with an order made against him, other than payment of money, the court instead of dealing with him as a judgement debtor guilty of misconduct defined in paragraph (f) of section 66 of this Act, may order that he be committed in prison and detained in custody until he has observed the order in all things that are to be immediately performed…”

By: Nkechi Bright-Ewere

City Crime

RSG Ready For 2030 Digital Transformation

Published

2 months ago

October 27, 2025

The Tide

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Akani, has said the State Government was set to meet up the 2030 target of the Federal Government towards the actualization of digital economy.

Akani said this at the Rivers State Sensitization Workshops on The Adoption of Nigeria Start-up Act and National Digital Literacy framework (NDLF), in Port Harcourt, weekend.

She noted that the State was ready for both the adoption and domestication of the Act.

According to her, up to 90-95% preparation have been fully covered by the state in readiness to welcoming the digital economy Act.

“Stakeholders talked about adoption and domestication of the Act, it was fruitful. The draft has been sent to the government”, she said.

She also noted that the move was in line with the digital transformation plan of the state and the country at large.

The Convener, Start South, Mr. Uche Aniche, who made case for full ICT Ministry for the state, said such will command the needed growth in the system.

Aniche stated that until they attained the lofty height, all about Tech-knowledge and growth may not fall in place as expected.

Other tech-operators, such as the Code Garden Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Wilfred Wegwu, who welcomed the idea, said it must be done in the nearest future.

Wegwu noted that technology has taken over the world at present, adding that government at all levels needed to key into the system.

He also stated that the system play major roles in various spheres of life, including relationships and collaboration.

He also revealed that the system now was up to forth Industrial Revolution (4IR), according to global shift ranking.

It will be recalled that the State Government has recently ordered to construct ICT centres across the 23 Local Government Area of the state in order to meet up the yearnings of the technology world.

By: King Onunwor

City Crime

Industry Braces For Glut And Investor Demands

Published

3 months ago

September 29, 2025

The Tide

The oil and gas industry is in for a tough year ahead, as it must balance financial discipline, shareholder returns, and long-term investments in the sustainability of the business—while navigating a hypothetical glut.

The warning comes from Wood Mackenzie, which said in a new report that the industry was faced with conflicting trends over the next year that would make decision-making challenging. Among these is an expectation that the market would tip into an oversupply, pressuring prices, while the demand outlook for oil over the long term brightens up, motivating more investments.

“Oil and gas companies are caught between competing pressures as they plan for 2026. Near-term price downside risks clash with the need to extend hydrocarbon portfolios into the next decade. Meanwhile, shareholder return of capital and balance sheet discipline will constrain reinvestment rates,” Wood Mackenzie’s senior vice president of corporate research, Tom Ellacott, said.

The executive added that investors would also influence decisions, as they continue to prioritize short-term returns over long-term investments. This last part, at least, is not unusual in the current investment environment across industries. It could, however, make life even more difficult for oil and gas companies for a while.

The glut that Wood Mackenzie analysts expect is the same glut that the International Energy Agency has been expecting for a while now. Yet that very same International Energy Agency earlier this month issued a warning on the longer-term security of global oil supply, saying the industry needed to step up investment in new production because natural depletion at mature fields was progressing faster than previously assumed.

Per the report, if the industry has to maintain current levels of oil and gas production, more than 45 million barrels per day of oil and around 2,000 billion cu m of natural gas would be needed in 2050 from new conventional fields. It’s worth noting that this is maintenance of current production levels, assuming demand will not rise, which is a risky assumption.

Even with projects ramping up and new ones approved for development and not yet in production, a large gap still exists “that would need to be filled by new conventional oil and gas projects to maintain production at current levels, although the amounts needed could be reduced if oil and gas demand were to come down,” the IEA said.

However, demand could just as well increase, heightening the degree of uncertainty in the industry and making long-term planning even more challenging—especially for companies with higher debt-to-equity ratios. Wood Mackenzie expects those with gearing of above 35% would prioritise resilience over long-term growth, while those with better debt positions would turn to divestments and asset acquisitions to improve the quality of their portfolio.

Share buybacks will also remain on the oil industry’s table as a favorite tool for making shareholders happy, although, Wood Mac notes, these tend to dry up when oil slips below $50 per barrel. Interestingly, the analytics company does not seem to factor into its analysis a scenario where prices might go up instead of down, especially now that President Trump has signaled he would be willing to step up pressure on Russia to bring a swifter end to the war in Ukraine.

If prices do rise, for whatever reason, including failure of the massive 3-million-bpd glut that the IEA predicted to materialize, then the immediate outlook for the oil and gas industry becomes different—but not too different. Companies have already demonstrated they would not return to their old ways of splurging when times were good and tightening belts when times were bad. They would likely stick to spending caution and shareholder return prioritization, regardless of prices.

By Irina Slav

City Crime

ECN Commences 7MW Solar Power Project In AKTH

Published

3 months ago

September 22, 2025

The Tide

As a landmark intervention designed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), has commenced a 7MW solar power project at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH)

The project is the outcome of ECN’s comprehensive energy audit and strategic planning, which exposed the unsustainable cost of diesel and the risks associated with AKTH’s dependence on the national grid.

Working in close collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology under the coordinating leadership of Chief Uche Nnaji, the ECN planned and executed this critical project to secure the hospital’s energy future.

The Director – General, ECN, Dr. Mustapha Abullahi, said “the timing of this intervention could not be more crucial” recalling that only days ago, AKTH suffered prolonged power outages that tragically claimed lives in its Intensive Care Unit.

“That painful incident has strengthened our resolve. With this solar installation, we are ensuring that such tragedies are prevented in the future and that critical medical services can operate without fear of disruption”.

Abdullahi stated that the project is a clear demonstration of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in action and reflects ECN’s commitment to making Nigeria’s energy transition people-centered, where hospitals, schools, and other essential institutions thrive on reliable, clean, and sustainable power.

The ECN boss further reaffirmed ECN’s commitment to continued deployment of innovative energy solutions across the nation.

“This is not just about powering institutions; it is about saving lives, restoring confidence, and securing a brighter future for Nigerians”, he stated.