The National Industrial Court in Abuja has ordered the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to pay its former Taraba State Coordinator, Mr. Usman, ₦31 million in unpaid salaries and allowances.
Justice Agbadun-Fishim, presiding, ruled that the stoppage of Usman’s entitlements since January 2023 was “illegal, unlawful, wrongful, unconstitutional, and discriminatory.”
The Court ordered NEDC to pay ₦11.25 million in salary arrears and ₦20 million in housing allowance arrears for 2023 and 2024. It also directed the Commission to stop interfering with his entitlements and instructed Usman to continue reporting to work.
Usman told the Court that his pay was stopped after he disciplined a staff member with management’s approval. He alleged further victimisation, including being left on Grade Level 10 while his contemporaries were promoted to Level 13.
He also testified that he had used personal funds to mobilise contractors for six projects in Taraba, with reimbursement approved but never paid.
In its defence, NEDC accused Usman of absenteeism and failing to hand over official property after being replaced as State Coordinator. It denied authorising him to spend personal funds and argued that the case was statute-barred.
Justice Fishim rejected the Commission’s defence, ruling that the case was filed within time and that NEDC failed to prove it had reassigned him new duties. However, the Court declined his request for promotion to Grade Level 13.
