Senate demands immediate recall of 18 sacked staff of NJI

The Senate Wednesday directed the management of National Judicial Institute (NJI) to recall 18 sacked staff of the Institute.

The Senate noted that it discovered that the 18 affected staff were not indicted by the report of the Board of Governors of the Institute.

The directive followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which considered a petition by 39 staff of NJI on alleged wrongful termination of their appointments.

According to the lawmakers, the names of the 18 staff were swapped with those indicted.

It resolved that the 18 staff should be immediately recalled to duty with “full entitlements up to date.”

The upper chamber rejected the recommendation that the Board of Governors of the Institute should reinstate another 19 staff whose appointments were wrongfully terminated.

It said that those indicted by the report of the Board of Governors should be disciplined accordingly.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure presented the report.

The committee in its findings and observation noted that “there was crisis amongst members of staff of the NJI which led to witch-hunting and petition writing to discredit each other.”

It said that the Board of Governors intervened at various times to resolve the crisis.

It said that various investigative committees set up presented a report which indicted a total of 57 officers, specifying various disciplinary actions appropriate to the offences.

The Administration of the Institute, the report said, acted upon an anonymous petition which was not signed, dated nor had any address.

The report added that the committee also observed that the Administrator of NJI did not comply with the recommendations of the Board of Governors.

The Committee said that it observed that “18 out of the dismissed staff were not indicted by the report but their names were swapped with the indicted staff of the Institute, whereas those who were indicted by the report but perceived to be loyal to the Administrator were retained in the service of NJI.”

The Committee said that it considered the action a clear injustice on the part of innocent staff.

It said that “The Committee noted with dismay the attitude and response of the Administrator of the NJI who rebuffed and refused to honour any of its several invitations to him to appear before the Committee, but instead the Administrator of NJI sent his written defence to the Committee claiming the case to be in court, when in actual fact no case is in court except that of Mrs Bolatito Ajibade on another issue yet to be resolved by the court.”

Accordingly, the Senate adopted the resolution “That the 18 innocent staff not indicted by the report of the 

Board of Governors of the Institute and whose names were swapped be called back to duty with full entitlements up to date.”

The report listed those to be recalled as Mrs. Rosemary Emodi, Ayuba Musa, Wale Akinbola, Esetuwagbau Steven, Fadeyi O. Emmanuel, Ramat Popoola Shittu, Awoyale Yinka Michael and Mrs. Bola Ajiboye.

Others are; Muili Jubril Adekunle, Yahaya Mohammed, Afolabi Moses, Mrs. Mary Nelson, Miss Yemisi Oloyi, Mrs. Immaculator Inyang, Olajide Tunde, Bamidele Olusola, Mrs. Dorcas M. Delight and Ms. W.A. Adesina.

The Senate also adopted the recommendation that “That the Senate do mandate the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) to effect the dismissal with immediate effect, the following staff of NJI who were recommended by various investigative committees of NJI for dismissal ab-initio, but were retained and still in service up till now in the interest of justice and fair play.”

It gave the names of those affected by the resolution as Mr. Segun Olowookere, Mr. James Onu, Mr. John Agono, Mr. Jacob Danladi, Mrs. Ronke Akinsehinwa, Mr. Moses Agbede and Mr. Hussaini Musa.