The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay ₦620,000 for delaying proceedings in lawsuits brought by 62 former staff members contesting their disengagement.
The judgement was delivered on Thursday by Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae after counsel for the ex-employees, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), told the court that the apex bank’s late filing of a new motion had forced an unnecessary adjournment in a matter scheduled for hearing.
The former staff, whose termination letters dated May 23, 2024, were issued under the heading “Re-Organisation”, argue that their dismissal violated the CBN Act 2007 and the bank’s internal human resource policies. They are seeking reinstatement, payment of outstanding salaries and entitlements, and an order setting aside the terminations entirely.
At Thursday’s proceedings, Olanipekun said the bank introduced a motion on November 26 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, adding that the motion was a deliberate attempt to delay the matter. He requested ₦10,000 per claimant as costs, totalling ₦620,000.
CBN’s counsel, Wilson Inam (SAN), apologised for the timing of the application, stating that it was filed the previous day and served that morning. Justice Obaseki-Osaghae ruled that the bank’s motion disrupted the scheduled hearing and awarded the requested costs. “Cost follows event. Cost is hereby awarded in the sum of N620,000, and this should be paid before the next adjourned date,” she said.
The court adjourned the matter to January 12, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications.
Recall that in December 2024, Justice Benedict Kanyip, President of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), recused himself from hearing 62 lawsuits filed by former CBN employees due to a conflict of interest.
The judge disclosed that a member of the legal team representing the CBN, Mr. Damian Dodo, SAN, is his in-law, creating a potential conflict in the adjudication of the cases.
During proceedings, both the claimants’ counsel and the CBN’s legal representatives expressed confidence in the judicial process.
Olanipekun affirmed the trust of the claimants in the court’s impartiality, while Obafemi Agaba of Jackson, Etti, and Edu & Co, representing the CBN, stressed that justice must not only be done but also be seen to be done.
Following the disclosure, Justice Kanyip ordered that all 62 cases be reassigned to another judge to ensure impartial adjudication. The reassignment process is now underway.
