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Rtd General sues Nigerian Army over alleged compulsory retirement
Retired Brig.-Gen.Abubakar Sa’ad on Tuesday dragged the Nigerian Army before the National Industrial Court, Abuja, challenging his alleged compulsory retirement.
The other co-defendants in the suit are the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, Minister of Defence and the Nigerian Army Council.
The claimant’s counsel, Mohamned Adelogun, told the court that the matter was slated for mention.
The counsel further informed the court that the matter was first filed on Sept. 7,2016, but was however struck out on Sept. 16, 2017 in a ruling.
Adelogun stated that the ruling was as a result of the preliminary objection raised by the defence on ground that the claimant failed to comply with the provisions of the Armed Forces Act, before instituting the suit.
According to the counsel, the claimant appealed the ruling at the Appeal Court in 2018 and in a ruling delivered on June 18,2020 set aside the ruling of the trial court.
Adelogun in addition said the Appeal Court accordingly ordered that the case be readmitted back to the NICN for reassignment.
He equally informed the court that they had been served with another preliminary objection by the defence stating lack of jurisdiction as the case had already been decided.
He stated that he had just filed the response to the preliminary objection, a motion to amend the claimant’s claims and apologized to the court for filing out of time.
Adelogun proceeded to seek for an expeditious hearing of the suit by citing Order 18, Rule 3 of the NICN proceeding, urging the court to take the preliminary objection together with the substantiative suit.
The defence counsel, Timileyin Kehinde also affirmed that the claimant’s counsel had been served the preliminary objection, however were yet to receive their response.
Kehinde also objected to the application of Adelogun for the court to take the preliminary objection together with the substantiative suit.
The judge, Justice Benedict Kanyip in his ruling said that the claimant’s counsel needed to adopt the procedures that would allow the court to take the preliminary objection together with the substantiative suit.
The judge therefore said the prayer and application to take them together was not granted.
He however directed that Adelogun serve the defence counsel a copy of his reply to the preliminary objection right in the court.
Kanyip also adjourned the matter until Nov.24, for hearing of the preliminary objection.
Sa’ad in his relief, is seeking a declaration that his purported compulsory retirement dated June 9, 2016 is null, void and of no effect whatsoever and inconsistent with the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 LFN 2004, the Nigerian Armed Forces Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service 2012 and the Manual of Military Law 2015.
The claimant is also seeking for an order setting aside the purported compulsory retirement and compelling the defendants to reinstate him as an officer of the Nigerian Army with all the rights, privileges and perquisites attendant of his status as a Brigadier General of the Nigerian Army or such next rank ( being the rank of Major General) which he claimed is entitled to assume in all its ramification.
In addition, he is also seeking an order of the court, compelling the defendants to effect and implement its Promotion Board exercise of 2015 which considered him for promotion to the rank of Major General and to accord him all the rights, privileges, interests, salaries, allowances and other perquisites of the rank to the date of determination of the suit and subsequently thereafter.
Sa’ad in his Statement of Facts, said he was commissioned on Dec. 20,1986 as a member of the regular course 35, and was compulsorily retired on June 9, 2016 after 32 years of service when he had not attained the mandatory age of 60 years for retirement, neither had he spent 35 years as stipulated by the defendant’s governing laws.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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