A former Director, Legal Services of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Grace Taiga, standing trial in connection with the controversial P&ID $9.6bn judgment against Nigeria, is suffering from “a whole lot of ailments”, her lawyer, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), said on Friday.

Olanipekun told Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the Apo Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, that “She has severe hypertension and (is) highly diabetic.”

Olanipekun said this while pleading with the judge to allow Taiga to remain seated during the proceedings.

Taiga was aided by two persons to the dock on Friday.

She is answering to charges in connection with the controversial Gas Supply Processing Agreement which led to the recent $9.6bn judgment given against Nigeria and in favour of Process and Industrial Developments by a British court.

Taiga was said to have signed as Nigeria’s witness to the GSPA while the then minister presiding over the ministry, the late Dr. Rilwan Lukman, signed as Nigeria’s representative.

Taiga’s arraignment came after the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, convicted P&ID Limited incorporated in British Virgin Island, and its affiliate, P&ID Nigeria Limited, on charges of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering and other sundry offences on Thursday.

Justice Ekwo convicted the companies, ordered their winding up and the forfeiture of their assets to the Nigerian government, after two men said to be directors in the P&ID Limited and P&ID Nigeria Limited pleaded guilty to the charges on behalf of the firms.