The National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division, Oyo State, has reinstated 28 staff members of Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State, who were unlawfully dismissed by the management.
These employees, previously working in the security department, were terminated in 2018 due to a government directive to outsource security staffing in federal agencies.
Following a legal challenge in suit number NICN/OS/04/2018 led by Barrister Yemi Abiona, the court ordered the polytechnic to reinstate the staff members and pay their full salaries and allowances for the five years they were out of work.
Although the court declined the demand for N28 million in damages, it directed the institution to compensate the staff for the entire period from January 2018.
The court also awarded a cost of N500,000 against the Federal Polytechnic Ede in favour of the dismissed staff.
Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale, in delivering the judgment, emphasized that the termination was illegal, violated the claimants’ rights, and contradicted statutory provisions.
He highlighted the breach of the Federal Polytechnic Act, 2004, and the Federal Polytechnic Ede Staff Manual, 2018, affirming the claimants’ rights to fair hearing and employment until the mandatory retirement age of 65.
The judge also noted the defendants’ failure to follow due process in terminating the appointments.