Governor allows AMCON to embarrass broke state high court, intervenes minutes to garnishee request

It’s not only states that are in deep financial mess in Nigeria now. The judiciary is also as hard-up.

And AMCON is not taking it lightly with the broke third arm of government.

The Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria dragged the High Court of Bauchi to a federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday.

It owes AMCON N326 million, and the creditor is seeking to garnishee the debtor’s account.

Defendants in the suit are high court of Bauchi, Chief Registrar, and JSM Cooperative Society Ltd.

But when AMCON was about to move ex-parte application before Justice Oiora Egwuatu for an order to seize the debt sum from the statutory financial allocation of the high court, the state government made a move.

Bauchi government hurriedly made contacts during proceedings, and persuaded AMCON to let the debt issue be settled out of court to prevent embarrassment.

AMCON lawyer Darlington Ozulumba also wnted to play all. He immediately pleaded with Justice Egwuatu to defer hearing into the matter in view of the intervention of Gov. Bala Mohammed to settle the debt on behalf of the High Court.

The counsel sought for an adjournment to enable the two parties explore out of court settlement as canvassed by the court.

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.