Court stops documentation of Gen Nwokoro’s compulsory retirement
The National Industrial Court, on Tuesday, directed Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, Minister of Defence and Nigerian Army to put on hold the documentation of Major General Ijioma Nwokoro retirement benefits until the suit he filed challenging his compulsory retirement is determined.
Major General Ijioma Nwokoro, a claimant had approached the court to reinstate him after he was compulsorily retired from service along with 40 others on July 9, 2016.
Delivering a ruling on a motion for interlocutory injunction on Tuesday, Justice M. Esowe ordered immediate stoppage of documentation and processing of related document of the claimant’s retirement entitlements which by Nigerian Army rules, a retired officer was supposed to complete within 90 days from the date of retirement.
Justice Esowe refused the claimant prayer to restore him to the army pending the determination of the suit. The judge explained that to grant such a prayer, would mean diving into the substantive matter.
Before the ruling, Justice Esowe had overruled the objections raised by respondents’ counsel, MD Owolabi, who represented the Army and Chief of Army staff, and P.A. Umafedon, who announced appearance for the four respondents. Both counsel had sought an adjournment on the ground that the respondents were not properly served.
According to the court record, the four respondents were duly served with the court processes on July 22, 2016.
Counsel to the Claimant, Benson Igbanoi, who held the brief for Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had told the court to order the parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit.
