NTI: Court rules on suit challenging 150 staff suspension Oct. 11

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has fixed October 11 for judgment in a suit filed by 150 staff of the National Teachers Institute challenging the suspension of their employment by the institute.

The staff, represented by Foundation for Peace Professionals, Tanimu Aliyu Magaji and Aminu Abdullahi, had sued the National Teachers Institute Council and the then Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

The claimants said they were recruited in April 2016 by former Director-General of the institute, Aminu Ladan Sherehu, but that the new DG, Garba Dahuwa Azare, in August, 2016, ordered that their employment be suspended without giving any reason despite numerous enquiries.

They asked the court for a declaration that the appointments conveyed and granted the 150 staff by the council are valid, genuine and subsisting.

They also demanded an order “directing the defendants to pay the 150 employees all salaries and or any other entitlement due or to which they are entitle to from the date of employment.”

While the court had earlier fixed yesterday for judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Sanusi Kado, said the judgment would now be delivered on Friday because he was unable to get a copy of the NTI Staff Regulations.

The copy was subsequently submitted to the court registry by the plaintiffs' counsel at the end of yesterday's proceeding.