Court Orders Bank To Reverse Ex-Employee’s Dismissal, Awards ₦5.5m Damages

Court Orders Bank To Reverse Ex-Employee’s Dismissal, Awards ₦5.5m Damages
Balogun was awarded ₦5.5 million in damages and costs.
OAU later admitted it supplied incorrect academic information to the bank.

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Lagos Division, has ordered a commercial bank to withdraw the dismissal of a former employee, Mr Tajudeen Balogun, and awarded him ₦5.5 million in damages for wrongful termination.

Justice Maureen Esowe delivered the judgment in Suit No. NICN/LA/471/2022, holding that the bank violated its disciplinary procedures and denied Balogun a fair hearing before dismissing him over discrepancies in his academic records.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the court awarded ₦5 million as general damages and ₦500,000 as litigation costs in favour of the claimant.

Justice Esowe held that the dismissal was based on an allegation of certificate forgery that was never disclosed to Balogun or subjected to any disciplinary process.

The dispute began in November 2005 when Oceanic Bank International Limited dismissed Balogun instead of confirming his appointment. Court documents showed that the dismissal letter gave no reason for the decision.

The bank had written to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in 2005 to verify Balogun’s academic credentials. The university allegedly informed the bank that he graduated with a Third-Class degree, contrary to the Second-Class Lower degree reflected on the certificate he submitted during recruitment.

Relying on that information, the bank concluded that the certificate was forged and dismissed him.

Balogun, however, maintained that he was never informed of the allegation or invited to defend himself before the dismissal. He only became aware of the issue years later during a visit to the university in 2011.

Evidence before the court showed that OAU later admitted the information supplied to the bank was erroneous. In a letter dated October 14, 2011, the university clarified that Balogun had actually graduated with a Second-Class degree.

Justice Esowe ruled that the bank failed to comply with the disciplinary procedure contained in its Staff Handbook and that the wrongful dismissal damaged Balogun’s career prospects and chances of securing another job.