The National Industrial Court in Abuja has adjourned to January 12, 2026, for further hearing on pending applications in the several lawsuits brought by 62 former employees contesting their dismissal from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after fining the bank ₦620,000 for delays.
The pending applications include the request for consolidation and the CBN’s preliminary objection in a case whose outcome could set a major precedent for internal restructuring exercises in public institutions and their compliance with statutory labour protections.
Justice Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae gave the order on Thursday after the former staff’s lawyer, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), objected to a late application from the CBN, causing the court to delay a hearing that was set to continue.
Former CBN employees, whose individual cases have been in court, are challenging their dismissal letters issued on May 23, 2024, under the bank’s “Re-Organisation” policy. They claim the mass layoff breached the CBN Act 2007 and violated established HR rules. They are asking for reinstatement, payment of withheld salaries and benefits, and the cancellation of the termination notice, with their lawyer also seeking to merge the cases for efficiency.
At Thursday’s hearing, Olanipekun said both sides were ready to proceed with the main case and the bank’s preliminary objection when the CBN unexpectedly filed a new motion. Submitted on November 26 and served that same morning, it sought to switch the originating summons to a writ of summons due to disputed facts. The lawyer called it a delay tactic and demanded ₦10,000 in costs per claimant, totalling ₦620,000.
In response, CBN’s counsel, Wilson Inam (SAN), admitted the bank’s application was filed late and only served on the morning of the hearing. He apologised to both the court and opposing counsel but insisted the switch to a writ was needed because of alleged factual disputes.
Justice Obaseki-Osaghae, however, decided that the apex bank’s last-minute motion had disrupted the proceedings and warranted a penalty.
“Cost follows event,” the judge held, ordering the CBN to pay ₦620,000 before the matter resumes.
Many of the affected employees were part of the now-scrapped Economic Intelligence Unit of the CBN who insist that their termination was arbitrary and targeted, despite the unit’s involvement in major investigative successes, including a probe linked to the controversial $11 billion P&ID arbitration, recovery of ₦3.18 billion allegedly concealed by a bank agent, and investigations into gaming companies implicated in irregular foreign exchange repatriation.
The case had earlier encountered delays when the NICN President, Justice Benedict Kanyip, recused himself due to a conflict of interest involving one of the CBN’s lawyers.
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