NAN-H-60
Workers
By Doris Esa
Abuja, Oct.17, 2017 (NAN) The National Industrial Court, Abuja has fixed Oct.26 for Luck Guards Ltd firm to open its defence in a case of alleged termination of appointment filed by 257 disengaged workers.
The workers were formerly with Total Exploration and Production Company.
Joined as co- respondents in the suit are: Eastbay Nigeria Ltd, Gobin Security Ltd, Fabom Ventures Nigeria Ltd, Provast Ltd, and Luck Guards Limited.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the court had on Sept. 26 ordered the respondents to open their cases on Oct. 17.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, counsel to Luck Guards Ltd, Mr Mohammed Shuaib told the court that he had an application to regularise the respondent’s processes.
The court granted his application which was not opposed by claimants counsel, Mr Marx Ikongbeh.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Edith Agbakoba, thereafter, by consent of counsel fixed the adjourned date for the sixth respondent to open its case.
The disengaged claimants were workers of Total Exploration and Production company before their appointments were allegedly terminated in 2015.
The workers alleged that they were laid off in August 2015 without notice.
The aggrieved workers dragged Total Exploration to court over the unlawful dismissal from the company and joined five other firms in the suit.
Luck Guards Ltd is the sixth respondent in the suit.
The claimants, in their statement of claim, are seeking for an order of the court for the respondents to pay them N8 billion, being salaries and arrears that have accrued since 2015 till date.
They also prayed the court to prevail on the respondents to pay N5 billion for the unlawful termination of their appointments as well as general damages.
Total Exploration was represented in court by their counsel, Mr Ineh Wilson.
The claimants, represented by their counsel Ikongbeh had since closed their case. (NAN)
ORD/EEE
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Edited by Ese E. Ekama