Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Joseph Mbu has approached the National Industrial Court to invalidate his compulsory retirement by the police Service Commission, PSC.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mbu instituted the suit against the commission over his alleged compulsory retirement on July 1, 2016, which he said he was then the commandant of the Police Staff College.
When the matter came up for heating, the defendant, the PSC, was not in court neither was its legal representative.
Mbu’s counsel, Tawo E. Tawo, told the judge he was ready to go on with the matter of which the claimant was invited to the witness stand to adopt his witness statement on oath dated October 15, 2021.
Copies of of Mbu’s age declaration, appointment letter into the Nigerian Police as a cadet officer dated December 11, 1985, letter of his promotion to the rank of an AIG dated August 22, 2014 were tendered as evidence.
At the end of the claimant’s submission, the judge, Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, marked the documents as exhibit C1-C21.
Mbu prayed the Court to grant all his requests. In his words, “I want this honourable court to grant all my prayers.”
The claimant is seeking, amongst other reliefs, an order of the court to invalidate his retirement, which he claimed was done via a press release as he was never served statutory notice of retirement.
He is also seeking an order of the court directing the defendant to pay his salaries, allowances and other entitlements from July 2016 to 2018, when he would have been due for retirement.
He stressed that he had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, nor had he spent 35 years in service before he was retired in 2016.
The court adjourned the matter until May 19 for cross-examination and defence.
The court also directed that hearing notice should be issued and served on the defendant.
