Alleged contempt: Absence of Counsel stalls suit by 147 ex-militants against Amnesty Coordinator

Absence of Counsel on Monday stalled an alleged contempt suit filed against rtd Col. Milland Dikio, Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme over noncompliance with a court judgment.

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

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

The National Daily reports that the former 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 into two camps of 75 and 72 members from 2011 to date.

Justice Abimbola had on Nov. 13, 2020, in a consent judgment 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 damage of N20 million for the 72 slots of Agbalagbabo camp and payment of 50 percent 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 the damage of N20 million to the 75 militants of the Benuwolo camp and payment of 50 percent of their total entitlements from Jan 2011 to Sept 2019 amounting to N255.94 million as final settlement.