Ex-employee drags Ibeto, seven others to court over unpaid salary, retirement benefits

The former Group Financial Controller of the Ibeto Group and seven affiliated companies, Eze Sunday Eze, has instituted a legal action against his former employer at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Asaba, over alleged unpaid salary and his retirement entitlements.

The companies listed as defendants in the suit marked numbered NICN/AWK/04/2023, include Ibeto, Group, Ibeto Industries Limited, Ibeto Petrochemical Industries Limited, Ibeto Hotels Limited, and Ibeto Cement Limited.

Others were Max Shipping Services Limited, Union Auto Parts Manufacturing Company Limited, and Odoh Holding Limited.

The claimant in his statement of claim gave details of what made him to resign from company and how his various attempts to get his salary and retirement benefit fail.

Eze’s is claiming that he was employed as the Group Financial Controller by the Ibeto Group, with an offer dated November 6, 2001, and that his appointment took effect from December 1, 2001. He served the defendants in this capacity for 19 years.

Eze alleged that on May 21, 2021, Dr. Cletus Madubugwu Ibeto, Chairman/CEO of the defendants, convened a meeting attended by him, the Group Executive Director for Operations and Investments, Eze Echesi, and the Group Chief Internal Auditor, Ben-Oscar Nwachukwu.

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According to the claimant, during the meeting, Dr. Ibeto informed them that one of the company’s clients had made an initial payment of N2.7 billion for the first two years of a tenancy agreement for the Ibeto Terminal in Port Harcourt.

Eze further claims that Dr. Ibeto stated that he planned to settle his outstanding salary of N17,861,995.54, which was owed up to April 30, 2021, in three or more installments.

Additionally, Dr. Ibeto allegedly informed him that his salary would be reduced to half starting May 2021 for an initial period of six months, after which the arrangement would be reviewed.

As a result, Eze stated that he chose to formally retire from his position and requested that all outstanding emoluments up to the date of his disengagement be paid.

At the last hearing of the case on November 14, 2024 before Justice O. A. Ogunbowale, the claimant’s counsel appeared in court, but the defendants’ legal representatives were absent.

The claimant’s counsel informed the court that he just took over the case file and requested a brief adjournment to file the appropriate documentation for the change of representation.

Justice Ogunbowale granted the adjournment, fixed the next hearing date for February 5, 2025.