Wrongful termination: Sokoto govt, perm secs opt for out-of-court settlement

The Sokoto state government and the two permanent secretaries whose appointments were allegedly terminated wrongly have agreed to settle the matter out-of-court. The case was instituted by former permanent secretaries, Alhaji Suleiman S. Fulani and Alhaji Aminu Dikko before the National Industrial Court, Sokoto. They argued that their services were wrongfully terminated without any proven […]

The Sokoto state government and the two permanent secretaries whose appointments were allegedly terminated wrongly have agreed to settle the matter out-of-court.

The case was instituted by former permanent secretaries, Alhaji Suleiman S. Fulani and Alhaji Aminu Dikko before the National Industrial Court, Sokoto.

They argued that their services were wrongfully terminated without any proven offence or reaching the mandatory age of 60 or 35 years in active service.

They sought for court’s declaration that the notification of compulsory retirement served on them by the defendant (Sokoto state government) as unconstitutional, null and void.

They also demanded payment of all their entitlements in addition to N15 million each for their constraint in engaging solicitor and the sum of N100 million as punitive damages in view of emotional trauma each of them had suffered.

However, at the court sitting on Wednesday, the counsel to the defendant, Suleiman Usman SAN, said they approached the claimants for settlement and urged the court to grant them time to facilitate the processes.

He said all the correspondences relating to the substantive case were duly served on the parties.

The claimants’ lead counsel, Mr Bashir Jodi, adopted his submissions and did not oppose the settlement moves.

The trial judge, Justice Kiyahot Damlak ordered the parties to ensure proper preparation on settlement initiative and adjourned the case to Nov. 12, 2018 for hearing.