Nigeria Customs Services, NCS, has landed itself in serious mess for failure to pay eight years salary arrears, benefits and others entitlements estimated at over N50 million to one Compt. Abdullahi Bello Gusau.
Compt. Gusau, according to documents made available to journalists in Kaduna, had sometime in 2010 challenged the Customs Services in Federal High Court, Abuja, over unlawful premature retirement from the service. Gusau, through his counsel, Barr. G. T Afolabi of Olugbenga and Associates, dragged the matter to the Appeal Court and obtained verdict in favour of the appellant in July 2014. The case also scaled up to the Supreme Court, which affirmed the judgment of the Appeal Court and directed that Compt Gusau be reinstated to service and all his entitlements paid.
Although Gusau was called back to office after the Appeal Court judgment, but was treated as contract staff. Worse still, his monthly salary was stopped two months after his resumption when his counsel demanded that full implementation of the Appeal Court judgment be complied. Apparently provoked, the NCS went to the Supreme Court and contested the judgment, but the apex court in April, 7, 2017, affirmed the Court of Appeal judgment of July 2014, including consequential orders as contained therein, mandating the Col Hameed Ali-led NCS to reinstate Compt Gusau, an order that was still ignored.
The affirmation of the apex court which was handed down by Justice Ejembi Eko in Abuja also made declarations that the purported retirement of the plaintiff by the second defendant (NCS) was unlawful, malicious, irregular and fragrant violation of the plaintiff’s right of employment until the mandatory retirement age. Supreme Courts’ five-man panel of justices headed by CJN Walter Onnoghen also made an order affirming the Appeal Court judgment, adding that the purported retirement of the plaintiff by first and second defendants’ public notice was unlawful. “The court therefore orders the defendant to allow Compt. Gusau to resume work and also maintain his positions as Comptroller of Customs, and be paid all his salaries, benefits and emoluments, and enjoy his lawful promotions.
According to documents made available to journalists in Kaduna, the judgment and orders of the Supreme Court were duly served on the CG of Customs on April 10, 13, and 21, 2017, respectively with the acknowledged receipts, but same were not complied with.
Till the time of filing this report, customs was yet to formalize the reinstatement and promotion of Compt. Gusau by way of serving him with reinstatement letter and letter of promotions, and subsequent decoration of his new ranks. Similarly, the salary arrears, emoluments and other entitlements estimated at over N50 million have also not be paid to till date.
