Pius Ukeyima Akutah

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Pius Ukeyima Akutah
MON
Barrister Pius Akutah in 2024
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers' Council
Assumed office
25 October 2023
PresidentBola Tinubu
Preceded byEmmanuel Jime
Personal details
Born (1970-06-07) 7 June 1970 (age 53)
Benue State, Nigeria
Political partyAll Progressives Congress
SpouseMarried with children
EducationMaster of Laws degree in Public International Law
Alma mater
Ahmadu Bello University
Nigerian Law School
University of Abuja
University of Jos
OccupationLegal Practitioner, Public Servant and Politician

Pius Ukeyima Akutah MON (born June 7, 1970)[1] is a Nigerian legal practitioner and public servant currently serving as the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Shippers' Council.[2] He assumed office on October 25, 2023, succeeding Emmanuel Jime,[3] and officially commenced his duties at the council's headquarters in Lagos on November 1, 2023.

Upon assuming office at the Nigerian Shippers Council, Akutah promised to build on the foundation laid by his predecessors. The council has taken steps to activate the cargo tracking note, promotion of port efficiency which is intended to reduce cargo clearance time from 48 hours to 24 hours and the introduction of an electronic traffic system.[4]

The Nigerian Shippers Council has highlighted the implementation of payment processes from manual to automated systems within the council and underscored the benefits of registration to enhance having a database of genuine port service providers and users as well as knowing your customers policy.[5]

Early life and education[edit]

Akutah was born in Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. He pursued his legal education at the University of Jos where he obtained a Diploma in Law and proceeded to University of Abuja, where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 2006. He later attended the Nigeria Law School in Bwari, Abuja, and was called to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister at Law (BL) in May 2007. Subsequently, he obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree in Public International Law from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2016.[1][6]

Career[edit]

Before assuming his role at the Nigerian Shippers' Council,[7] Akutah held various positions of increasing responsibility within the Nigerian legal system. He served as an assistant director at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja,[1] where he headed the Central Authority Unit of the International Cooperation Department under the Office of The Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

Akutah also served as a prosecutor and was involved in the prosecution of several high profile criminal cases including the extradition of some fugitives to different countries including the United Kingdom and United States of America.[8] In 2022 he concluded a locus clasicus extradition case at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.[9][10][11][12][13] Akutah recently concluded the extradition of two suspects involved in a new form of cybercrime tagged sextortion to face trial in the US.[14][15]

Akutah contributed to the successful negotiation of Bilateral Agreements between Nigeria and other nations about Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition, a task that demands a deep understanding of the international legal framework.[16]

Pius  Akutah reviewed and endorsed the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) and encouraged Nigerian states to adopt it. He also encouraged prosecutors to always have a ninety-nine percent assurance of winning before filing cases.[17]

He is an Alumnus of the United States Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and a chartered Mobile and Computer Forensics Examiner.[6][17]

Pius Akutah at the graduation ceremony of United States Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) in 2013

Community service[edit]

In 2020 Akutah drilled two boreholes separately at Tse-Yagba, Mkem, Tsambe and another in Tse – Yua in Mbaikyume, Mbagwaza district as a peace initiative aimed at resolving the conflict between the warring border communities of Tsambe in Vandeikya and Mbagwaza in Ushongo Local Government Areas.[18]

In 2019, Akutah donated a furnished house to a centenarian in Mbagwaza, Ushongo Local Government Area of Benue State who lived in a ruined thatched hut plagued by rain and sunrays. This gesture came after he had lost his primary election for House of Representatives.[19]

Awards and recognition[edit]

Akutah is one of the five recipients of the 2017 Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, PCSMA.[17] He was also conferred the National Honours Award as a Member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022.[20]

Politics[edit]

Akutah is a politician and a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC). In 2019, he contested for House of Representative election in Kwande-Ushongo Federal Constituency where he lost at the primary election. He later contested for the 2023 Gubernatorial election in the same party but opted to step down for Rev. Hyacinth Alia who is the incumbent Governor.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Ekama, Roland (October 25, 2023). "Profile Of New Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shipper's Council, Mr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima".
  2. ^ Nda-Isaiah, Jonathan (2023-10-25). "Tinubu Appoints New CEOs For NIWA, Shippers' Council". Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  3. ^ "Tinubu Sacks NIWA, Shippers' Council's Heads, Names New CEOs - THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  4. ^ "I will build on the Foundation laid by my Predecessors….Shippers Council Boss". Shipping World News Magazine. 2023-12-19. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  5. ^ Egole, Anozie (2024-04-21). "FG plans crackdown on unregistered port service providers". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  6. ^ a b Ekugo, Ngozi (October 25, 2023). "Profile: Akutah Pius Ukeyima, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers' Council".
  7. ^ "NSC Governing Board – Nigerian Shippers Council || N.S.C". Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  8. ^ www.premiumtimesng.com https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/196712-court-orders-extradition-of-nigerian-fugitive-franca-asemota-to-the-uk.html. Retrieved 2024-05-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ editor (2020-02-20). "Court Fixes Apr. 22 For Judgment On Extradition Of Music Promoter, Lati Alagbada To USA Over Alleged Drug Dealing". newsdishng.com. Retrieved 2024-05-18. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2022-08-30). "Court dismisses suit for Abba Kyari's extradition". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  11. ^ "Nigerian govt extradites suspect to U.S. over alleged $148,000 fraud case". www.premiumtimesng.com. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  12. ^ "You are being redirected..." 9jalegal.com.ng. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  13. ^ David (2022-04-21). "Drug trafficking: Nigeria seeks extradition of Colombian citizen to US". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  14. ^ Team, TV6 News (2023-08-13). "2 Nigerian men extradited to US after being indicted for international sexual extortion ring, DeMay death". https://www.uppermichiganssource.com. Retrieved 2024-05-18. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Western District of Michigan | Three Nigerian Men Awaiting Extradition For Committing Sexual Extortion | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. 2023-05-03. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
  16. ^ Erezi, Dennis (2023-11-07). "Akutah: As a new sheriff enters Shippers Council". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-05-20.
  17. ^ a b c "'Prosecutors should be 99% certain of success before filing cases' - Daily Trust". https://dailytrust.com/. 2017-12-26. Retrieved 2024-05-18. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  18. ^ "Youth group lauds Akutah over resolution of crisis in Tiv communities - Blueprint Newspapers Limited". blueprint.ng. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  19. ^ Just, Human (September 11, 2019). "Benue politician fulfils campaign promise after losing election". Vanguard. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  20. ^ Times, Premium (2023-05-29). "FULL LIST: Special Nigeria National Honours Awards 2023". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
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