Court Adjourns Tax Evasion Suit Against Power Generation Companies

Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Dan-Ige of the Federal High Court (FHC 2), Minna has adjourned to March 11, 2024 a multi-billion naira case against the North-South Power Company Limited and the Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited.

The plaintiff, Niger State Internal Revenue Service who filed the dual case against the Power Generating Companies operating in the state also joined the Federal Ministry of Power and the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited in the suit.

The case was adjourned to this later date for further mention to allow service of the court processes to the defendants in the case not in court.

On this adjourned date, however, in the first case involving the North-South Power Company Limited, the plaintiff’s Counsel, Mohammed Ndayako, Senior Advocate of Nigeria informed the court that the third respondent Shiroro Hydro-Electric PLC was not in the court while confirming the service of the court processes on them.

He told the court that the first defendant in the case Federal Ministry of Power did not file any processes including a memorandum of appearance even though its counsel was in the court while the counsel to the fourth respondent filed out of time.

Similarly, in the second case, involving Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, counsel to the Plaintiff Niger State Internal Revenue Service Aliyu Lemu SAN told the court that the third respondent, Kainji Hydro-Electric PLC was served with the Court processes as confirmed by the registry of the court.

Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Dan-Ige however adjourned the case to the 11th of March, 2024 for further mention to enable parties in the matters to file and exchange court processes.