APC Member Appeals to Niger Governor Over Court Dispute,Call for Mediation
By Yahaya Zakka Minna.
Alhaji Abubakar Katcha, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, has formally requested intervention from Governor Mohammed Umar Bago regarding a contentious civil case involving himself and Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe.
The appeal aims to facilitate an out-of-court settlement in their ongoing legal dispute.
In a letter addressed to the governor, titled “Request for Intervention on Settlement out of Court and Report Back to Court Between Alhaji Abubakar Katcha and Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe,” Katcha outlined the details of his case, designated Civil Case Suit No: NSHC/MN/133/2023, which is currently pending in the High Court No: 3 Minna.
Katcha is seeking N2 billion in damages from Balarabe, the former Chief of Staff to the previous governor. He has expressed concern that the case has transformed into a protracted business venture rather than a genuine effort to reach a resolution, despite prior discussions for an out-of-court settlement initiated by Balarabe in November 2024.
Katcha accused certain parties involved in the case of obstructing settlement efforts, undermining his attempts to resolve the matter amicably with the assistance of new legal counsel.
He is calling for the governor’s help to assemble all relevant parties for a discussion to finalize a resolution.
The former Commissioner of Science and Technology noted the lack of success from previous mediation efforts led by former deputy governor Mohammed Ahmed Ketso, which were initiated at the direction of Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, representing Niger North Senatorial District. Given this context, Katcha sees no alternative but to involve the governor directly.
Katcha also expressed gratitude to the Niger State Chief Judge, Honorable Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, for her prompt response to his earlier correspondence, seeking clarification on conflicting court judgments from two magistrate courts in Minna related to a separate case (MN/CR/105/2019).
Furthermore, he lamented the absence of feedback from the Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association regarding his request for an investigation into irregularities involving its members in his case.
Katcha emphasized that if Governor Bago is unable to resolve the matter swiftly, he may have no choice but to bring the case into the public eye to ensure transparency and fairness in the pursuit of justice.
It is worth noting that Katcha previously won a judgment in his favor, having been acquitted by the Chief Magistrate Court Two in Minna on December 10, 2021, after a two-year legal battle with Balarabe concerning criminal charges.
