A group of sacked directors from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have taken legal action to stop the bank from replacing them.
These former officials, who were dismissed earlier this year, are seeking an interlocutory injunction from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) to prevent the CBN from filling their positions.
The directors, in a motion filed on Monday, argue that their sack was “unlawful” and done without any valid reason.
They claim that the bank’s decision to terminate their employment violated civil service rules.
According to them, the CBN has been advertising vacancies for the positions they were dismissed from, despite the legal case they have filed.
Their legal representatives, Isa Mohammed & Associates (El-Shuayb Law Firm), filed the motion on their behalf.
The directors’ dismissal was part of a broader reorganization initiated by the CBN earlier this year.
In March, the financial institution let go of 27 employees, including eight directors, 10 deputy directors, five assistant directors, two principal managers, and two senior managers.
This restructuring followed the appointment of the new CBN governor, Olayemi Cardoso, who inherited these directors.
Seventeen directors were dismissed, while four others retired after reaching the statutory retirement age of 60.
Despite their forced exit, the former directors maintain that the CBN’s actions violated civil service regulations, particularly regarding proper procedures for termination.
The sacked directors are determined to stop the bank from recruiting new staff to fill the vacant positions created by their dismissal.
They have asked the court to issue an interlocutory injunction, restraining the CBN from proceeding with any recruitment into the director’s cadre.
The directors believe that if the vacancies are filled, it would make their legal challenge more difficult, and the court should prevent the CBN from taking such actions while the case is still being heard.
The directors’ legal team argues that an employer can only dismiss employees without notice or compensation in cases of severe misconduct, such as fraud.
In their motion, they stated: “It is trite that an employer can only terminate an employee’s appointment without notice or payment in lieu of notice when the conduct of the employee is of a serious and weighty nature.”
They stressed that they have not been found guilty of any misconduct, criminal or otherwise, that could justify their termination.
The directors’ legal filing comes under the provisions of Order 22 Rule 1 and 2 of the National Industrial Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2027.
They argue that the CBN has been making efforts to replace them, despite the ongoing legal challenge.
“The defendants have been making efforts to fill the vacancy created by the unlawful termination of the Claimants’ appointment, without having regards to the pendency of the suit filed before this Honorable Court,” the claimants said.
In light of this, they have requested the court to issue an order that prevents the bank from proceeding with the replacement of the directors until their case is resolved.
Their motion further states that the CBN’s attempts to recruit new directors could undermine their case, as filling the vacancies would imply that their termination was final and justified.
The sacked directors believe their dismissal was unjust and that the CBN has acted outside the bounds of the law.
They maintain that proper procedures were not followed in terminating their employment, and they are seeking legal redress to protect their rights.
The group of directors is determined to see their case through and has made it clear that they are not backing down.
They are hopeful that the court will grant their request for an interlocutory injunction and stop the CBN from filling their positions while the legal battle continues.
Their lawsuit has become a significant legal battle, attracting attention from the financial sector and civil service advocates alike.
