The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja has voided the dismissal of a former Acting Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Dauda.
In a judgment on Thursday, Justice Olufunke Anuwe, granted all the reliefs sought by Dauda, including an order for his reinstatement as a substantive director in the NIA.
Justice Anuwe declared Duada’s dismissal, as a director in the NIA, as illegal, null and void and ordered his immediate reinstatement.
The judge also ordered the full payment of his salaries and entitlements from the date of his dismissal to his date of reinstatement.
Justice Anuwe, who awarded N1million cost against the defendants, noted the claimant (Dauda) did not challenge his dismissal as the acting DG of the NIA.
The judgment was on the suit marked: marked NICN/ABJ/136/2018, filed by Dauda through his lawyer and former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Kanu Agabi (SAN).
The suit had the NIA and its Director General (DG) as defendants.
Dauda, who was dismissed on March 6, 2018, had in his originating summons, raised some questions for the court’s determination.
He asked the court to determine whether the procedure adopted by the defendants in the case leading to his purported dismissal is in compliance with Article 8(1) and (2) of the National Securities Agency Act (CAPS 278) 1986.
Dauda also asked the court to determine whether the purported letter of dismissing him issued on March 6, 2018 is not unlawful, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.
He then prayed the court to among others, reinstate him as a director and order the payment of his salaries and other entitlements from the date of his unlawful dismissal to the date of his reinstatement.