Two members of the consortium awarded part of the multi-billion dollar Trans-Nigeria Gas Pipeline (TNGP) project have threatened legal actions over alleged attempt by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to sideline them from the execution of the contract.

Miles Energy Services Limited and Macready Oil Services Company Limited were co-sponsors of CSOIL consortium awarded Lot 2 of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the construction of the 614 kilometres long, 40 inches diameter pipeline from Ajaokuta through Kaduna to Kano.

Other members of the consortium include China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Limited, as lead sponsor; Morpol Engineering Services Limited, CNPC Huayu Petro-Chemical Engineering Company Limited, CNPC Julong Steep Pipe Company Limited, Crestech Engineering Limited and CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited.

Lot 2 of the contract involves construction of the 193 kilometres long Abuja to Kaduna section of the pipeline, with a 15 kilometres long 24 inches diameters spurline to Abuja. The contract was valued at $834 million.

Counsel to the two firms, Fidelis Oditah, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday accused the NNPC of attempting to unlawfully re-award the contract to a third party that did not participate in the bid held in April 2016.

Mr Oditah accused the NNPC of moves to get the Executive Council of the Federation (FEC) to approve its decision to breach its contract with the Consortium, despite a subsisting court case on the matter.

Also, he accused the NNPC of being behind the harassment of his clients’ top officials, including the managing director of Miles Energy, Kamoru Oladimeji.

On May 21, 2018, Mr Olademeji was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and prevented from travelling abroad.

He was later taken to Abuja and detained by the State Security Service (SSS).

“By seeking FEC’s approval to cancel the CSOIL Consortium contract NNPC is showing its disdain for the rule of law and due process,” Mr Oditah said.

TO READ MORE, Click: AKK Gas Pipeline Project: Consortium battles NNPC over attempt to hijack contract