The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has adjourned until Nov. 9, a suit over an alleged N1.26 billion debt owed to some indigenous houseboat contractors.
Justice Stephen Pam adjourned the matter for continuation of hearing after settlement talks between the plaintiffs and defendants failed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had, on Sept. 15, adjourned the case until Oct. 22 to allow the parties explore an out-of-court settlement.
The suit, marked FHC/PH/CS/115/2025, was filed by Peaches Integrated Services Ltd., Godsam Industrial Services Ltd. and Etucom Integrated Services.
The plaintiffs sued the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, over the alleged failure to honour contractual agreements.
Speaking with journalists after Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs, Chiburoma Mbata, said the settlement talks failed because the third defendant could not agree to the plaintiffs’ terms.
She said the dispute arose from the alleged failure of the second and third defendants to pay for houseboat services provided over 34 months.
“The defendants are owing the plaintiffs N1.26 billion and have refused to pay in spite of the plaintiffs being very lenient with them,” she said.
Mbata said the companies had made several efforts to resolve the matter but were compelled to seek judicial intervention after the negotiations failed.
She added that the plaintiffs would continue pursuing the case until they received the payments due under the contractual terms.
Meanwhile, workers of the affected companies staged a peaceful protest at the court premises, demanding payment for the outstanding services.
The workers said the alleged non-payment had crippled the companies’ operations and prevented some employees from receiving their salaries for several months.
They carried placards with different inscriptions which reaf:, “President Bola Tinubu, hear our cry and pay contractors” and “Our families are hungry, children out of school, pay us our money.”
Other placards read, “Pay us our 34 months houseboat supply service” and “Our boats are dilapidated due to lack of maintenance.”
A protester familiar with the contract, who requested anonymity, said the companies were owed for 34 months of service.
“In spite of not releasing the money, the Nigerian Army has continued to use our facilities even to this very day,” the protester lamented.
The worker said the non-payment had grounded the companies, adding that the houseboats where now in a deplorable condition. (NAN)
