The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division has declared illegal and unlawful, the suspension of Mr. Moses Adaguusu, a Deputy Director and Head of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Taraba State by the Commission.
The Presiding Judge, Hon Justice Edith Agbakoba, in a landmark judgment, nullified and set aside the Suspension. The Court consequently ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Registrar-General of the Commission Alhaji Garba Abubakar to ensure the immediate payment of all salaries, benefits, allowances, and entitlements due and accrued to the Claimant during the period of his unlawful suspension. The Deputy Director was unlawfully suspended between March – September 2021, while Heading the Enugu Nodal Office of the CAC.
The Court ruled that Mr. Moses Adaguusu was wrongly suspended and was not given a fair hearing.
Hon. Justice Agbakoba while condemning the action of the Registrar General of Corporate Affairs Commission, said the rules of fair hearing were neither observed nor adhered to in the disciplinary procedure adopted.
The Court ordered the CAC and Alhaji Garba Abubakar, the Registrar-General of CAC to pay N2 million naira to the Claimant as the cost of the action.
Learned Counsel to Mr. Moses Adaguusu, Barrister Terlumun Azoom from the Law Firm of Chief S. T. Hon, SAN & Co, said the judgment would go a long way in addressing abuse of Office, official impunity, vendetta, executive lawlessness, and illegalities in public offices.
The CAC under Garba Abubakar has been inundated with Court cases before superior courts of records. In October 2021 the CAC Staff Union (AUPCTRE) won another landmark case of unlawful proscription of the Staff Union by Alhaji Garba Abubakar, with N1million damages against the Commission. Rather, than comply with the decision of the President of the National Industrial Court, Hon. Justice B.B. Kanyip, Ph.D., the Registrar-General decided to appeal the decision, at the risk of industrial unrest.
Counsel to the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Registrar-General of the Commission, Mr. Francis Ogbu while reacting to the judgment said the defendants would appeal the judgment.
Mr. Moses Adaguusu, a Deputy Director and Head of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Taraba State had approached the National Industrial Court after he was wrongfully suspended by the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission.
