Court Slams UI with N13 million Fine Over Unlawful Sack of Lecturer

A National Industrial Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo state capital has today ordered the University of Ibadan to pay a sum of N13 million and also reinstate one Ms. Adenike Ogunshe, a former lecturer of the University’s Microbiology department.

Delivering the judgement, Justice John Peters stated that the university failed to comply with standard employment ethics guiding the employment relationship concerning the termination of Ms Ogunshe’s appointment.

Ms Ogunshe, a senior lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, was sacked by the institution for refusing to vacate her office to another one.

The judge said the relocation of office that led to the termination of the claimant’s appointment started in 2006 and was left hanging until 2013 when the claimant was issued a query.

Mr Peters declared the termination of Ms Ogunshe’s appointment by the institution as unlawful, null, void, and of no effect for non-compliance with the applicable rules.

The judge further ordered the institution to pay Ms Ogunshe N13,607,028, being her salary arrears from August 15, 2016, to the date of the judgment.

“I order and direct the defendants to pay the claimant all her arrears of salaries from the date of termination of her appointment till the date of this judgment,” Mr Peters said.

The judge also ordered the institution to pay N200,000 as the cost of the proceedings.