BREAKING: Court Stops UNICAL VC Prof Florence from Conducting Employment Exercise as 800 Sacked Staff Drag Management to Court

Court Stops UNICAL VC Prof Florence from Conducting Employment Exercise as 800 Sacked Staff Drag Management to Court

 

 

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof. Florence Banku Obi, from proceeding with the ongoing employment exercise at the institution.

 

The order followed a suit filed by over 800 staff members who were disengaged after being employed by Prof. Zana Akpagu, the immediate past Vice Chancellor of UNICAL.

 

Findings by News Week Nigeria revealed that the affected staff approached the court after Prof. Obi allegedly refused to recognise their employment and ordered their disengagement shortly after assuming office. Despite public appeals urging her to reconsider the mass sack, she reportedly stood her ground, describing the appointments as irregular.

 

One of the affected staff who spoke to News Week Nigeria lamented the hardship caused by the sack, stating that efforts by concerned Nigerians to prevail on the Vice Chancellor to reconsider the decision proved abortive.

 

“This action prompted series of attempts by well-meaning Nigerians who advised against sacking such a large number of people, given the economic situation and their dependents. Unfortunately, these appeals fell on deaf ears. Instead of absorbing us, the VC went ahead to conduct fresh employment. That was why we approached the court to stop the exercise,” the staff member said.

 

Meanwhile, attempts by News Week Nigeria to get clarification from the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) were unsuccessful, as questions sent to the office remained unanswered at press time.

 

According to him, the decision to head to court became necessary to stop what they described as “an injustice” and to prevent the institution from replacing them with new staff.

 

See the court documents attached below 👇 

Sources confirmed that the court’s interim ruling has effectively halted the recruitment process, pending further hearing on the substantive matter.

 

The case is expected to return to court in the coming weeks for further hearing.