Court reinstates sacked NIA’s boss, Dauda

The National Industrial Court (NIC), on Thursday, ordered the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed acting Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Dauda, as the substantive director in the agency.

The Abuja division of the court in it’s judgment by Justice Olufunke Anuwe also awarded a cost of N1 million in favour of Dauda as damages.

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The claimant, who was dismissed on March 6, 2018, had approached the court in an originating summons filed through his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN).

In the suit, marked NICN/ABJ/136/2018, Dauda joined the Director-General and NIA as first and second defendants respectively.

He prayed the court to determine whether the procedure adopted by the defendants in the case leading to his purported dismissal is in compliance with Article 8(1) and (2) of the National Securities Agency Act (CAPS 278) 1986.

In addition, Dauda also asked the court to determine whether the purported letter dismissing him issued on March 6, 2018 is not unlawful, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

The former acting NIA DG also asked the court to reinstate him as director; and order for the payment of his salaries and other entitlements from the date of his unlawful dismissal to the date of his reinstatement.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Anuwe granted all the reliefs sought by the claimant.

The presiding judge declared Duada’s dismissal as a director in the agency as illegal, null and void and ordered for his immediate reinstatement.

The court also ordered for the full payment of his salaries and entitlements from the date of his dismissal to his date of reinstatement.

The court also awarded him one million against the defendants.

The Justice Anuwe, however, averred that the claimant did not challenge his dismissal as the acting DG of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).