NASEER BABA- ALSIRAJDEEN, MINNA
Justice Mikailu Abdullahi of Niger State High Court Two, in Minna, has adjourned hearing in the case between Niger State Revenue Services and three defendants to the 8 and 17 of July 2024.
The defendants are Shiroro Hydroelectric Station, Mainstream Solution Energy and Stanbic IBTC Bank.
The Niger State Internal Revenue Service (NSIR), is demanding for N126 billion as grant rents from the defendants owed over the years.
The plaintiff, through its Lawyer Barrister Aliyu Ibrahim Lemu SAN has slammed a criminal suite against the defendants before the Minna High Court, even as the civil aspect of the suit pending at the Federal High Court number two has been transferred to the State High court for proper adjudication.
Barrister Aliyu Lemu SAN had on Thursday the 6th of June 2024, applied for a bench warrant to be issued on the three defendants for their refusal to honour several summons forwarded to them to appear in Court for the criminal suit against them.
However, during Monday resumed hearing of the case, only one defendant was in court, while the two other defendants were conspicuously 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 stands untill they appear in court.
The defense counsel to the Shiroro hydroelectric station, who is the former Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Federation Barrister Micheal Aondoka, told the court that the issue before the Court could be resolved without necessarily coming to Court.
” My Lord the case in question could be resolved without coming to court. I have already spoken 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 Government. 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 adjourned date that is my humble request my Lord” he told the court.
In his own submissions, the defense counsel to Mainstream Solution, Barrister Ibrahim Isyaku SAN told the court that he received the brief on 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 defendant 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 submissions, both counsels agreed among themselves to return to the court on the 8th and 17th, July 2024 for continuation of hearing into the matter.
