NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT ASKS NIGERIA's CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS TO REINSTATE 184 OFFICERS SACKED IN 2003

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to reinstate 184 officers, it sacked in 2003.
The President of the court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, made the order when he delivered judgment brought by the claimants on Wednesday.
Adejumo held that the claimants were regular officers of NSCDC before the enforcement of the NSCDC Act 2003.

He also said the assertions of the claimants that they were volunteer officers of the corps before the enforcement of its Act was not rebutted by the defendant.
The judge explained that the provisions of Section 25 & 26 of NSCDC Act 2003 gave the claimants the full privilege accrued to all the regular officers of the corps.

Adejumo ordered that the claimants be paid all their emoluments, including salaries and allowances appropriate to their ranks with effect from June 28, 2003 till date.
“In sum total I, therefore, hold that all the claimants are entitled to all the reliefs claimed. In consequence, I grant all the reliefs claimed to all the claimants.
“I order that the defendant shall pay all the claimants such emoluments, including salaries and allowances appropriate to their service stipulation with effect from June 28, 2003,” he said.
The Counsel to the defendant, Mr Babatude Alajogu, had in Nov. 2012, asked the court to dismiss the suit because it was statute barred, but the court refused the application.
The claimants filed the suit in November 2012 and prayed the court to declare that they were regular officers of the corps as at 2003 when the NSCDC Acts came into force.
They also prayed the court to order their reinstatement to their ranks and for the payment of all their emoluments. (NAN)