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Over 100 Ex-CBN Staff Take Legal Action Over Unjust Dismissal

Published

4 months ago

Aug 24, 2024.

Around 100 former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) employees have filed a lawsuit against the apex bank at the National Industrial Court, seeking compensation for damages.

The employees were among the 200 staff members dismissed in May under the Yemi Cardoso administration as part of a reorganization effort.

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The plaintiffs are demanding full payment of their monthly salaries, allowances, and other financial benefits they would have received if they had remained employed until retirement.

The lead counsel for the sacked employees, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), shared court documents with select journalists in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday. Olanipekun emphasized that the former staff members are seeking to enforce their right to a fair hearing, arguing that their dismissal was unjust.

According to Arise TV, the sacked staff’s lead counsel said, “the unlawful action of the apex bank has caused monumental damages to his clients running into hundreds of millions of Naira, adding that they are praying the court to ensure that the defendant pay all the claimants their monthly salaries, allowances and other emoluments/entitlements.”

Olanipekun added that “one of his clients who still have nine years of service left with the Bank would have earned, if his employment had not been unlawfully terminated, a sum of ₦1,621,455.70 monthly as evidenced by his salary payment, and such other monies in that regards as his current or subsequent promotion position/grades would be entitled.

“He is praying the an order of the court to ensure that the defendant shall pay forthwith all monthly salaries and allowances that the claimant would have earned in the course of his service/employment, being the sum of ₦178, 360,127.00 or such other sums in that regard, from the effective date of unlawful termination of his appointment up and until his due date of lawful retirement on 4th August, 2033.

“The counsel said that the claimant is also praying the court to ensure that the sum of N100,000,000 million is paid to him as General Damages against the defendant, for wrongful termination of his contract of employment.

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“The sum of ₦30,000,000.00 as the cost of litigation/prosecuting the suit is also demanded from the defendant with 21 percent post-judgment interest, per annum, on all judgment sums awarded, from the date of judgment until the entire judgment sum is wholly defrayed/liquidated as well as further orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of the case.”