….as lawyer denies their being investigated by the EFCC
The recent dismissal of several past Directors from four aviation agencies by the current Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has left many aggrieved.
They alleged, they were not only terminated from their positions, but their rightful entitlements and salaries were also withheld.
In response, these affected individuals have taken legal action against the Federal Government and the aviation agencies, seeking reinstatement or proper compensation for their abrupt dismissal and the withholding of their benefits.
Some of the aggrieved directors have chosen not to pursue legal recourse, while others are determined to assert their rights and claim what is owed to them.
Despite attempts to seek explanations for the withholding of their entitlements, the aggrieved parties said, the agencies involved have remained silent, prompting them to seek justice through the industrial court.
The lawyer representing the petitioners, Patrice Akwara highlighted the lack of response from the agencies and the Ministry, stating that their clients were left with no choice but to pursue legal action.
“We gave the one month notice and when the one month notice elapsed we now proceeded to file action in court to seek legal redress of that infraction. We went to the industrial court because this is employment related matter”.
“Yes, we wrote the honorable minister and we also wrote through the respective heads of agencies. Yes, we wrote them and they never deemed fit to invite them for a meeting. Some of them wrote us to say that they acknowledged the receipt of the letter and we can proceed to court so they never didn’t get themselves involved in any conciliation”.
During a court mention of the case today, Akwara said, the lawyer representing the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) expressed interest in settling the matter out of court, indicating a willingness to resolve the issue without further litigation.
“Three cases that were mentioned in court today, the one against the FAAN, against NAMA and against NSIB, the one against FAAN, the attorney general representing the federal government and the honorable minister for aviation, they are parties also”.
“FAAN did not come, but I was informed by the court clerk that the FAAN lawyer came and requested to my number that they want to settle out of court, indicating that they are not going on with the court process, they are not going on which means they’re not joining issues because they didn’t not filed any defence”.
He added, “The other agencies, they sent lawyers, but the only one that came after was one with NSIB, the other one came late. The matter came up in court today for mention. So it has been mentioned, and adjourned to the 17th of May”.
However, allegations published in a newspaper suggesting that the directors were under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were vehemently denied by the counsel to the directors.
He refuted these claims as baseless and aimed at tarnishing the reputation of their clients, emphasizing that none of them had been formally invited or indicted by the EFCC.
“None of them have been invited by the EFCC You can’t be under investigation when you are not been indicted. So, it is just a lie against them, malicious fabrication purported to tarnish their image”.
According to counsel to the directors, this has raised questions about their integrity and subjected them to unfounded accusations in the public domain.
“This question their own integrity also, and a malicious defamation of their character, you sack somebody without reason, and you go to the media to say that EFCC is investigating them for corrupt practice when they were in office”.
