Sacked CBN Workers Decry Dismissal, Allege Ethnic Bias

Eko Hot Blog reports that some recently disengaged employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are reeling from the shock of their sudden dismissal, alleging maltreatment and injustice by the management.

They contend that many were denied their entitlements prior to their termination, a move they argue breaches the bank’s human resource rules and policies.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Jos, Plateau State capital, Paul Dekete, the North Central Coordinator of the Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Communities Development Association Youth Wing, demanded the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed workers.

The statement partly reads: “The purge wasn’t confined to high-level executives; it extended to Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors, the key figures in departmental operations. These were not junior staff but seasoned professionals with extensive institutional knowledge.”

“For example, the Director of Information Technology was overseeing crucial projects on the very day they were terminated, including efforts to secure international information security certifications for the bank.

“In a particularly egregious case, a Director on special assignment, tasked with leading the bank’s efforts to secure an ISO certification for information security, was sacked on the very day the bank successfully achieved this crucial milestone.

“Central banking relies heavily on robust cybersecurity measures, and this certification is a testament to the Director’s competence and the bank’s commitment to financial security. This abrupt dismissal, on the day of a major accomplishment, raises serious questions about the planning and rationale behind the mass layoffs.”

The statement further said, “The mass sack violated the bank’s own HR policy, which mandates board approval for executive terminations.

“This blatant disregard for due process has raised serious questions about transparency. The CBN, a federal institution, must adhere to public service rules. This dismissal exercise, carried out without board approval, lacks a solid legal foundation.

“Making matters worse, the bank offered no clear criteria for the mass sacking. This is a stark departure from their established culture of clear communication with staff during downsizing exercises.”

Dekete, on behalf of the sacked CBN workers further said, “Loyal employees, some with over 30 years of dedicated service, were cast aside with a cold, impersonal letter stating “your services are no longer required.”

This callous act extended to a Deputy Director who was let go even though she had already completed all the necessary paperwork and her retirement letter was ready to be issued.

CBN Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU)

According to Dekete, the CBN’s mass dismissal included the entire Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), a Unit in the bank tasked with the critical function of identifying and monitoring illegal financial activities within Nigeria. Established in 2018, the EIU was meticulously built by cherry-picking the bank’s brightest minds across various departments.

He argued that the loss of these highly trained professionals represents a significant blow to the bank’s institutional knowledge and capacity to combat money laundering and other illicit financial activities.

“The nature of the sack shows an attempt to cripple the Middle-belt region of the country as Gombe, Plateau and Benue are affected most.

All termination decisions should be reviewed to ensure compliance with CBN HR policy and public service rules. This may involve reinstating some employees who were dismissed without proper justification.

With most of the casualties arising from the Middle Belt and the South Eastern regions of the country, we call on the Governor of these regions to as a matter of urgency step into the ugly development to unravel the mystery behind the motive to correct it”, the statement said.

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