The attempt to resolve the legal dispute between Badeggi FM and the Niger State Government through an out-of-court settlement has collapsed, a Minna High Court was told on Wednesday.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Philip Emmanuel, informed the court that the discussions aimed at reaching an amicable resolution had broken down.
“My lord, it is unfortunate that the out-of-court settlement as requested in the last sitting has failed,” Mr Emmanuel said.
The matter had earlier been adjourned to enable parties to report terms of settlement, following submissions by the state government’s counsel, Jacob Usman (SAN), on 25 August.
Ruling on the latest development, Justice Mohammed Mohamed said the case file would be returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment since he was sitting as a vacation judge.
“As you know, I am a vacation judge, the vacation will resume by next week. The Chief Judge will either reassign the case or decide on the next line of action,” he said.
He then adjourned the matter indefinitely pending the Chief Judge’s directive.
The dispute traces back to 1 August, when Governor Umaru Bago accused Badeggi FM of inciting the public against his administration during an APC meeting in Minna. He ordered the closure of the station and directed the state’s police commissioner, Adamu Elleman, and the commissioner for homeland security, Mohammed Bello, to profile the owner of the station.
The closure drew widespread condemnation from civil society and media groups, including Amnesty International, the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and the Nigerian Union of Journalists.
Challenging the government’s action, Badeggi FM, through its lawyer, approached the court, which on 5 August granted an interim injunction restraining the state government and its agencies from taking any adverse action against the station pending the determination of the case.