A N140 billion ground rent lawsuit brought against North-South Power Company Limited and Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited was postponed until March 11 by the Federal High Court 2, Minna, on Monday.
According to the reporter, the Niger State Internal Revenue Service filed the lawsuit in January.
The state government is requesting that the court order the companies to pay the approximately N140 billion in unpaid ground rent that they accrued between 2017 and 2022.
Shiroro Hydro Electric Plc, North South Power Company Ltd., Kainji Hydro Electric Plc, and Mainstream Energy Solutions were named as defendants by the revenue service in the writ of summons.
Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited and the Federal Ministry of Power were also named as defendants.
Mohammed Ndayako, the plaintiff’s attorney, informed the court that Shiroro Hydro-Electric PLC, the third respondent, had been served with court documents but was not present.
In addition, he stated that the fourth respondent’s attorney filed his responses after the deadline and that the Federal Ministry of Power, the first defendant, failed to submit any paperwork, including a memorandum of appearance, despite having legal representation in court.
Similarly, as the court’s registry confirmed, Kainji Hydro-Electric PLC, the third respondent, received a copy of the processes, according to Lemu Aliyu, Counsel for Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd.
In order to give all parties involved in the case time to file and exchange court documents, Judge Abdullahi Dan-Ige postponed the case until March 11, 2024.
