Court dismisses NNPC rent case over jurisdiction

A Kaduna State High Court has dismissed a case between 500 residents of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) estate and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Pension Fund, the Zonal Manager, NNPC and the Group Managing Director who are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in the case over jurisdiction. Daily Trust reports that […]

A Kaduna State High Court has dismissed a case between 500 residents of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) estate and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Pension Fund, the Zonal Manager, NNPC and the Group Managing Director who are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in the case over jurisdiction.
Daily Trust reports that counsel to the plaintiffs, Barrister Nsikak Udoh had filed a notice of motion praying the court to restrain all the defendants from taking any steps towards sacking, terminating or dismissing  any of the residents pending the hearing and determination of the suit.
Justice Hannatu Balogun dismissed the case over jurisdiction and asked the parties to file their cases at the Federal High Court, Kaduna even though counsel to the plaintiff explained that the case is purely a landlord, tenant case against employer to employee and has nothing to do with the service contract of serving staff of the company.
 Barrister Udoh argued that by virtue of section 6(6(A) and (B) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999; order 39 rule 9 of the Kaduna State High Court (civil procedure) rules 2007 proves the case is under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
Part of the motion of notice made available to Daily Trust reads: “an order directing the 2nd Respondent/Contemnor to appear personally before this Honourable Court to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for taking steps to sack/terminate or disengage the Plaintiffs solely for instituting this action, thereby undermining the sanctity and integrity of this Honourable Court.
 “An order directing the 2nd Respondent/Contemnor to appear personally before this Honourable Court to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for compelling the serving staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation who are residents of the NNPC Estates at Kachia Road and Barnawa Areas of Kaduna State and co-plaintiffs to this suit, to withdraw participation from the suit, or face being sacked, thereby undermining the sanctity and integrity of this Honourable Court.
 “An order of this Honourable Court restraining all the Respondents herein, from taking any steps towards sacking, terminating or dismissing  any of the residents of the subject estates aforementioned, or from forcefully compelling the said residents to withdraw their consent in writing as co-Plaintiffs in the suit , pending the hearing and determination of the suit”.