- N128 billion ground rents: former Justice minister want out of court settlement
NASEER BABA-UTHMAN
The former Minister of Justice and attorney General of the Federation Barrister Michael Aondoka has told Justice Mikailu Abdullahi of the Niger State High Court number two sitting in Minna,that the N128 billio naira ground rent owed Niger state board of internal revenue can be settled out of court
He said this on Monday in the resumed hearing on Monday saying the case can be resolved without necessarily coming to court
Justice Mikailu Abdullahi adjourned hearing in the case between Niger State Revenue Services and three defendants to the 8 and 17 of July 2024.
The defendants included Shiroro hydroelectric station, mainstream solution energy and stannic IBTC Bank.
The Niger State Internal Revenue Service (NSIR), is demanding for the sum of N126 billion as ground rents owing the service for some years.
The plaintiff through its Lawyer Barrister Aliyu Ibrahim Lemu SAN has brought a Criminal suite against the plaintiff before the Court, the suit which was earlier before the Federal High Court was however transferred to the state High court for proper adjudication.
Barrister Aliyu Lemu SAN has on Thursday the 6th of June 2024 applied for a bench warrant to be issue on the three deffendants for their refusal to honour several summons forwarded to them to appear in court for the criminal suit against them.
But during Monday resumed hearing only one of the deffendant was in court while the other defendants were not In court on the ground that they were not properly served with the bench warrant.
Justice Mikailu held that the arrest warrant on the two defendants still subsist untill they appear in court.
The defence counsel to the Shiroro hydroelectric station, who is the former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Federation Barrister Micheal Aondokar, told the court that the issue before the court could be resolved without necessarily coming to court.
” My Lord the case Question could be resolved without coming to court. I have already spoke to my learned brother that we can resolve this matter without coming to this court.
” We are already in discussion on the best way to see how the money is paid by the Federal Goverment. There is no need for even coming to court for this case.
” We appreciate the contributions of Niger State for hosting the Shiroro hydroelectric station. I’m also part of Niger state. So my Lord we are already in discussion on the best way to resolve the matter and get back to you in the next adjougned date that is my humble request my Lord” he told the court.
In his own submssions, the defence counsel to mainstream solution Barrister Ibrahim Isyaku SAN told the court that he received the brief of the case just three days back and he requested the court to set aside the bench warrant to enable him file the necessary documents before the court.
He told the court that the plaintiff was not even properly served and based on this reason he told the court to set aside the bench warrant for him to see the best way to Collectively resolve the matter among themselves.
After all submssions,the both counsels agreed among themselves to return to the court on the 8th and 17th, July 2024 for continuation of hearing into the matter.
