Court Orders 16 Taraba Vehicles Seized Over Debt

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State
capital, has impounded 16 vehicles, including an ambulance van
following the failure of the state government to obey its order to
pay a company the sum of N550m.

The judgment of the court in suit number FHC/JAL/CS/3/2020
between Motherwell N. A. International Limited for itself and on
behalf of Closed Joint Stock Institute of Aerospace Instrumentation
of the Russian Federation verses Attorney-General of Taraba State
and the Government of Taraba State pasted on the impounded vehicles
reads in part, “Upon the judgment of this honourable court
delivered on 10th of June, 2020, it is hereby ordered that the
plaintiff is entitled to the payment of N550,000,000.00 being the
amount due but unpaid to the plaintiff by the defendants.

“The N550m is the amount due to the plaintiff by the defendants
from the contract for the Satellite survey and analysis of
hydrocarbon feedstock deposit of River Benue Valley territory of
Taraba State.”

The court also awarded N200,000 as cost against the defendants
in favour of the plaintiff.

But following the failure of the state government to honour the
judgment, the company again approached the court, which issued a
writ of attachment and sale of goods order against the
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the state
government.

An employee of the company told our correspondent that in the
event of the government defaulting in paying the debt, the court
allowed the company “to take control by sale of goods and chattels
of the defendants, wheresoever they may be found within the Federal
High Court’s jurisdiction.”

In compliance with the judgment some vehicles belonging to the
state government were seized and kept in the custody of the
court.

When our correspondent visited the court on Friday, 16 utility
vehicles, including an ambulance, a Coaster bus, mini buses and
Hilux vans belonging to the state government were parked on the
premises.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Sam Adda, failed as his phones were
switched off as of the time of filing this report.

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the Taraba State
capital, has impounded 16 vehicles, including an ambulance van
following the failure of the state government to obey its order to
pay a company the sum of N550m.

The judgment of the court in suit number FHC/JAL/CS/3/2020
between Motherwell N. A. International Limited for itself and on
behalf of Closed Joint Stock Institute of Aerospace Instrumentation
of the Russian Federation verses Attorney-General of Taraba State
and the Government of Taraba State pasted on the impounded vehicles
reads in part, “Upon the judgment of this honourable court
delivered on 10th of June, 2020, it is hereby ordered that the
plaintiff is entitled to the payment of N550,000,000.00 being the
amount due but unpaid to the plaintiff by the defendants.

“The N550m is the amount due to the plaintiff by the defendants
from the contract for the Satellite survey and analysis of
hydrocarbon feedstock deposit of River Benue Valley territory of
Taraba State.”

The court also awarded N200,000 as cost against the defendants
in favour of the plaintiff.

But following the failure of the state government to honour the
judgment, the company again approached the court, which issued a
writ of attachment and sale of goods order against the
Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the state
government.

An employee of the company told our correspondent that in the
event of the government defaulting in paying the debt, the court
allowed the company “to take control by sale of goods and chattels
of the defendants, wheresoever they may be found within the Federal
High Court’s jurisdiction.”

In compliance with the judgment some vehicles belonging to the
state government were seized and kept in the custody of the
court.

When our correspondent visited the court on Friday, 16 utility
vehicles, including an ambulance, a Coaster bus, mini buses and
Hilux vans belonging to the state government were parked on the
premises.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice, Sam Adda, failed as his phones were
switched off as of the time of filing this report.