Wrongful Dismissal: Court Fines Nigerian Army

Published

5 years ago

February 27, 2019

Eric

The Nigerian army has again been fined N10,000 for failing to open its defence in a case brought against it by a dismissed military officer, Mohammed Suleiman.

The ruling comes after a previous adjournment by the court, at the instance of the army, was ‘abused’ by the defence team.

The directive is the second one by the judge, Sanusi Kado, in the matter after the applicant closed his case in June 2018.

Mr Suleiman; a retired army colonel, was sacked alongside 38 military officers including army generals in 2016 without a fair hearing.

Many of the affected officers have approached the National Industrial Court to challenge their dismissal.

Although the Nigerian army accused the officers of official misconduct and partisanship, the allegations have not been proven in court.

Rather, witnesses who appeared in court said the Nigerian army decided to sack the officers for failing to renew their employment contracts.

The court urged the defendants to open their case after Mr Suleiman closed his in June.

But the army requested an adjournment to allow it to present an officer, Abba Goni, who was said to have been transferred from Abuja.

In October, the court presided over by Mr Kado awarded a cost of N20,000 against the army for failing to present the said witness.

According to the applicants, that directive has not been obeyed by the defendants.

After the October directive, the matter was then adjourned till December 3 for the defence to open its case and present its witness.

On that day, the case could not proceed because the defence counsel said his team was considering changing its witness.

On Tuesday however the defence lawyer, Moses Ukachukwu, again demanded a further adjournment because his clients “need to put their house in order”.

The applicant’s lawyer, Samuel Zibiri, asked the court to foreclose the defence case and proceed to deliver its ruling.

But the court allowed the application of the defence.

It subsequently adjourned the matter till April 15 after issuing a directive that the defence team pay N10,000 to the applicants.

Premium Times

National Grid Collapses Again, Nigeria in Total Blackout

Published

1 day ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The electricity national grid has collapsed again throwing the entire country into total blackout.

Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos), on Monday, confirmed the fresh collapse of the national grid, resulting in loss of power supply to their customers.

The grid experienced a fresh shutdown, and generation fell to 64.70 megawatts at 2:42 am on Monday, which was confirmed by officials of some of the DisCos.

According to an earlier report, the latest data from the Independent System Operator showed that the grid was generating 266.50mw of electricity from Okpai, Geregu and Ibom power.

Confirming the collapse in a statement, Jos DisCo said: “The current outage being experienced within our franchise States is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid. The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred in the early hours at about 0242 hours today, Monday, 15th April 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.”

The company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dr Friday Adakole Elijah, expressed hope that the grid will be restored for normal power supply to its esteemed customers.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), also confirmed the collapse in a statement titled “NOTICE OF TOTAL SYSTEM COLLAPSE”.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 2:41 am today, 15th April 2024.

“This resulted in the loss of supply to all our interface TCN stations. Consequently, we were unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“However, the situation is gradually being resolved as we received the supply at Awada TCN station, Onitsha, at 7:30 am.

“We are in constant communication with the relevant authorities awaiting the full restoration of supply by the National Control Centre, NCC, Oshogbo. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,”

A statement by Head, of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh said.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the collapse as of press time.

News

Gunmen Abduct Channels TV Reporter in Rivers, Demand N30m

Published

4 days ago

April 12, 2024

Eric

Gunmen have kidnapped a journalist and reporter with Channels Television, Mr Joshua Rogers, at his residence in Rumuosi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday night.

Rogers, who covers the Rivers State Government House for his organisation, was reportedly trailed after he closed from work to his residence.

The miscreants accosted him before he alighted from his car, pointed a gun at him and whisked him along with his vehicle off to an unknown destination at about 9 pm.

A source who said he doesn’t want his name mentioned said the reporter had earlier covered an event in Ndoni in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the state where Governor Siminalayi Fubara, inaugurated a Primary Healthcare Centre.

The facility was built and donated to the state by the PAMO Educational Foundation, founded by former Rivers governor, Dr Peter Odili, on Thursday.

The source said, “Yes, he was kidnapped last night at his residence in Rumuosi and taken away in his car by some unknown gunmen.

“We are appealing to the kidnappers to release him immediately and unhurt. He is just a journalist doing his job and not a moneybags. So I don’t know the purpose of his kidnap.”

It was also gathered that the hoodlums had contacted his wife and demanded N30m as ransom before releasing him.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, for confirmation, were unsuccessful as she did not pick up several calls put across to her by The Punch.

Iringe-Koko has also yet to reply to a text message sent to her as of publication on Friday morning.

The Punch

News

Bobrisky Goes to Jail! Sentenced to Six months Term, with No Fine Option

Published

4 days ago

April 12, 2024

Eric

Cross-dresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment without any option fine for abusing the Nigeria currency – naira.

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in her sentence, said the judgment will serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of abusing and mutilating the naira.