Bauchi state Government have been taken to court for engaging the services of Private Firm Casacada to collect revenue on behalf of Bauchi Local Government Area.
The suit was filed before Federal High Court sitting in Bauchi by Garba Ibrahim and two others against the state government,the state Attorney General and the private firm,Cascada.
The counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Hussaini Saraki said that section 7 of the 1999 constitution has given the local government a right over its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
"We made to understand that the state government had signed an MOU with a company in Bauchi called Cascada over collection of Revenue from the local government which does not go well with the citizens that is why they filed a suit against the three defendant"
"If you look at it critically, it is illegal because Bauchi Local government is a sovereign body that has the right and staff responsible for collecting revenue even if there is arrangements it should be between the Local Government and the private company not between the state and the company theses are the grievances" he said.
According to him, him, plaintiffs have the right to intstitute the suit because they are citizens who pay revenues and taxes in Bauchi.
"That is why the arrangements did not go well with them and decide to file a suit against the government and the company" Hussaini said.
Counsel to one of the defendants, Cascada Company Bauchi, Maimuna Musa Koko said that the matter could not go on because they have filed a notice of preliminary objections challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
The president judge Justice Muhammad Shitu Abubakar adjourned the suit to 14 December 2017 for hearing of both motions.
