No fewer than 176 retired officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service have filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and other senior government officials over alleged unpaid retirement entitlements.
The suit, filed before the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Abuja, also lists the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Board, its chairman, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Attorney General of the Federation as defendants.
The former officers, led by Abalaka Betty Ajuma, are seeking the enforcement of what they describe as their lawful retirement benefits under the 2015 Unified Conditions of Service for paramilitary agencies.
According to the claimants, the gazetted conditions stipulate that officers who retire at the rank of Comptroller of Immigration are entitled to an official vehicle and domestic staff, or the monetary equivalent.
They alleged that despite fulfilling all requirements and retiring honourably at the qualifying rank, the government has failed, refused, or neglected to provide the benefits as stipulated.
The retirees argue that repeated letters and pre-action notices sent through their lawyers were ignored, leaving them with no option but to seek judicial intervention.
In their prayers before the court, they are asking for a declaration confirming their entitlement to an official vehicle or its cash equivalent, valued at about ₦15 million per claimant.
They are also seeking a ruling that the alleged failure to provide the benefits is unlawful, wrongful, and unconstitutional, and want the court to compel the relevant authorities to comply with the service conditions.
The case, now assigned to Justice Rakiya Haastrup, has been adjourned for hearing to June 23, as legal proceedings begin in what is expected to be a closely watched dispute over public service retirement benefits.
