The High Court of Bauchi State has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged N326M indebtedness of the state judiciary to some financial organizations.
The Court was sued by the federal government-owned Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) seeking for Abuja court order to garnish the account of the High Court.
Defendants in the suit are the High Court of Justice, Bauchi State, Chief Registrar, and JSM Cooperative Society Ltd.
Drama, however, ensued when AMCON was about to move the ex-parte application for an order to seize the debt sum from the statutory financial allocation of the High Court.
As the matter was called before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, the Bauchi State government reportedly hurriedly made contact during proceedings and persuaded AMCON to let the debt issue be settled out of court to prevent embarrassment.
In a quick response to the state government’s plea, AMCON lawyer, Mr Darlington Ozulumba immediately pleaded with Justice Egwuatu to defer hearing into the matter in view of the intervention of the state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed to settle the debt on behalf of the High Court.
The counsel sought for an adjournment to enable the two parties to explore out of court settlement as canvassed by the High Court.
In a short ruling, Justice Egwuatu gave the two parties till October 26 to settle and for the report of the out-of-court settlement to be presented to his Court for ratification.