The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay a ₦620,000 fine for delaying proceedings in the suits filed by 62 former employees challenging their disengagement from the apex bank.
Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae made the order on Thursday after counsel to the claimants, Mr. Ola Olanipekun (SAN), complained that the CBN’s late filing of a fresh motion had stalled the hearing of the substantive matter. The former employees, who filed separate suits now pending before the court, are asking the NICN to nullify their termination letters dated 23 May 2024, issued under the heading “Re-Organisation”.
They argue that their disengagement violated the CBN Act 2007 and the bank’s internal human-resource policies, insisting that the termination was unlawful, void and targeted. Many of the claimants previously served in the bank’s now-defunct Economic Intelligence Unit. They are seeking reinstatement, the payment of outstanding salaries and entitlements, and an order setting aside their sack. Their counsel has also applied for the consolidation of all the suits.
The case has recorded earlier procedural complications, including a 2024 incident in which the President of the NICN, Justice Benedict Kanyip, recused himself after discovering that a lawyer from D.D. Dodo and Co.—part of the CBN’s legal team—is his in-law.
The claimants maintain that their disengagement was punitive and aimed at dismantling a unit credited with major financial-intelligence successes. They cited investigations into the P&ID $11 billion arbitration, the recovery of ₦3.18 billion concealed by a bank agent, and probes into gaming companies allegedly involved in unauthorised foreign-exchange repatriation as evidence of their contribution to the apex bank.
At Thursday’s proceedings, Mr. Olanipekun told the court that both parties had arrived prepared to proceed with the originating summons and the CBN’s pending preliminary objection when the bank suddenly filed a new motion. The application, dated 26 November and served that same morning, sought to convert the case from an originating summons to a writ of summons on the grounds that facts were in dispute.
“It is important to say that we were served with this application this morning,” he said, urging the court to ignore the motion. He described the move as a deliberate attempt to delay proceedings and requested costs of ₦10,000 per claimant, totalling ₦620,000.
“We ask for a conservative cost of ₦10,000 per person and a total of ₦620,000. This is because this matter was slated for hearing and the claimants and their counsel are diligently ready to proceed so that we can address the injustice done to the claimants,” he said.
Responding, CBN counsel Mr. Wilson Inam (SAN) admitted filing the application late. “I apologise for filing it just yesterday and for serving my learned brother this morning in court,” he said, insisting that the facts were in dispute and warranted a writ procedure.
Justice Obaseki-Osaghae agreed with the claimants’ counsel, ruling that the CBN’s motion had disrupted proceedings and awarding costs accordingly. “Cost follows event,” she held.
“Cost is hereby awarded in the sum of ₦620,000, and this should be paid before the next adjourned date,” she ruled.
The matter was adjourned to 12 January 2026 for hearing of pending applications.
