17th June, 2013
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, on Monday, awarded Maevis Nigeria Limited the sum of N5 billion and set aside the concession agreement signed between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN and SITA.
Despite a court injunction, FAAN last year cancelled the concession agreement it had with Maevis Nigeria Limited and awarded the same contract to generate revenues at the Lagos and Abuja international airports to SITA.
Officials of FAAN had stormed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and forcefully evicted Maevis workers. Maevis then filed a suit against SITA and FAAN.
The court said such a contract was invalid and must be cancelled with immediate effect and ordered SITA to pay Maevis the sum of N5 billion as general damages and relief.
Justice Ibrahim Buba in delivering the judgment Monday said SITA was aware of a court order preventing FAAN from awarding the contract to another company other than Maevis but still went ahead with the job.
The court said FAAN cannot award the contract to any other company than Maevis.
—Simon Ateba