Biography
President Bola Tinubu recently appointed Mr Akutah Pius Ukeyima as the Executive Secretary/CEO of, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC). This was announced by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity. Akutah Pius Ukeyima is an expert in International Criminal law and recently occupied the position of the Principal State Counsel within the Office of the Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Education
Ukeyima is from Benue State. His educational journey started at the University of Jos, where he embarked on a Diploma in Law from 1993 to 1995. He went further to continue his educational journey at the University of Abuja, where he pursued an LLB, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree. This led him to Ahmadu Bello University, where he studied for an LLM program from
2010 to 2012.
Experience
His most recent position was as the Principal State Counsel within the Office of the Honorable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice under the Federal Ministry of Justice for almost 12 years. Among the critical functions assigned to him in this capacity was negotiating international agreements, and formulating Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA).
He also prosecuted Extradition cases, a task that demands a deep understanding of the international legal framework.
Previously, he was Senior State Counsel from January 2009 to January 2012, within the Federal Ministry of Justice. During this tenure, his professional focus was primarily on the practice of International Criminal Law where he handled cases of transnational crimes, including but not limited to cybercrime, terrorism-related offences, drug trafficking, bank fraud, and various other forms of transnational crime.
Earlier in his career as State Counsel, he was involved in the Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, International Criminal Law Division, Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition unit. Throughout his career, he has shown expertise in international law and justice, legal writing, and consultation offering guidance whilst engaging in the prosecution of counter-terrorism cases, as well as actively participating in arbitration and dispute resolution processes.
He is also well-versed in United Nations conventions, regional and sub-regional charters, as well as agreements, with a deep understanding of the operations of public international institutions and multinational corporations within the realm of international politics.
Achievements
He has actively contributed to the successful negotiation of numerous Bilateral Agreements between Nigeria and several nations about Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition. 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.
He will be speaking at the Lagos International Maritime Week 2024.
