Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police Joseph Mbu has asked the National Industrial Court to invalidate his compulsory retirement amongst other reliefs.

The defendant, the Police Service Commission (PSC), was not in court, nor was its legal representative when the matter came up for hearing.

The claimant’s counsel, Tawo E. Tawo, stated that he was ready to proceed with the matter. After that, the claimant was invited to the witness stand to adopt his witness statement on oath dated October 15, 2021.

The claimant, in turn, proceeded to urge the court to adopt his statement as evidence in the matter.

Some of the documents as tendered in evidence by Mr Mbu were copies of his age declaration, appointment letter into the Nigerian Police as a cadet officer dated December 11, 1985.

Other documents were a letter of his promotion to the rank of an AIG dated August 22, 2014.

The judge, Osatohanmwen Obaseki-Osaghae, at the end of the claimant’s submission, marked the documents as exhibit C1-C21.

The claimant’s counsel, Mr Tawo, led the claimant and asked what he wanted the court to do for him.

Mr Mbu, in response, said, “I want this honourable court to grant all my prayers.”

The court adjourned the matter until May 19 for cross-examination and defence.

The court in addition, directed that hearing notice should be issued and served on the defendant.

Mr Mbu instituted the suit against the commission over his alleged compulsory retirement on July 1, 2016, when he was the commandant of the Police Staff College.

In his statement of facts, he stated that he was born April 10, 1958, and joined the police on December 11, 1985, and had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, nor had he spent 35 years in service before he was retired in 2016.

The claimant is seeking, amongst other reliefs, an order of the court to invalidate his retirement, which he claimed was done via a press release as he was never served statutory notice of retirement.

He is also seeking an order of the court directing the defendant to pay his salaries, allowances and other entitlements from July 2016 to 2018, when he would have been due for retirement.

(NAN)