The National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered Ladox Limited to pay ₦20 million in damages to Mr. Gbenga Dada, a former factory worker, for injuries and permanent disability he sustained due to the company’s negligence.
Delivering judgment, Justice Dele Peters held that the firm failed in its duty to ensure the safety and proper maintenance of its machines for employees, describing the incident as a “clear case of workplace negligence.”
The judge emphasised that as a factory owner, Ladox Limited owed a duty of care to Mr. Dada and other workers. He ruled that the company’s failure to prevent the malfunction of its equipment directly led to the accident that caused the claimant’s disability.
According to court records, Mr. Dada sustained severe injuries while repairing a faulty machine that suddenly restarted while he was still working on it. He told the court that prior to the incident, Ladox Plastics Products Limited owed him more than ₦1 million in salary arrears, and after the accident, failed to provide any meaningful support.
He further stated that although a private individual later facilitated his medical treatment in London, the company only contributed ₦100,000 and made no follow-up contact except one phone call asking him to help revive the company.
In its defence, 200 Stars Resources Limited — which had acquired a division of Ladox Plastics — denied any liability. The company’s representative told the court that it purchased only the factory and machines, as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, and not any existing debts or liabilities. “Mr Dada did not sustain any injury under our management,” the witness said, urging the court to dismiss the case against the firm.
Counsel to Mr Dada, Mr. A. A. Ibitara, argued that his client’s injury occurred during his employment with Ladox Limited, and that the company’s failure to maintain its machinery caused the accident. He urged the court to uphold his client’s claims, stressing that the evidence presented was unchallenged.
In his ruling, Justice Peters dismissed the case against 200 Stars Resources for lack of evidence but held Ladox Limited liable for breaching its duty of care.
“The injury sustained by the claimant in the course of his employment is a direct result of the negligence of Ladox Limited,” the judge declared.
The court, therefore, ordered Ladox Limited to pay ₦20 million in general damages to Mr. Gbenga Dada for the pain, suffering, and permanent disability resulting from the workplace accident.
