Members of the dissolved Edo State Civil Service Commission have filed a lawsuit with the Benin Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), contesting their removal from office, which they argue is unconstitutional. They are seeking reinstatement and demanding damages amounting to N250 million in compensation for what they describe as an abrupt and unjust termination of their appointments.
The lawsuit, designated as NICN/BEN/06/2025, names the dismissed members—including Iguodala Aluyi, Ehi Obaseki, Adegboyega Gilbert, Juliana Olatunji, and Margaret Ohiowele—as claimants, while the Edo State government, alongside the governor, deputy governor, attorney general, accountant general, and the speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, are listed as defendants. The court has given the defendants a 14-day period to respond to the suit.
In their legal action, the claimants are asking the court to determine whether the actions taken by the defendants to dissolve the Edo State Civil Service Commission—an entity established under Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution—were within constitutional boundaries. The dissolution was publicly announced via a publication dated December 17, 2024, which the claimants assert is invalid and unconstitutional.
Among other requests, the plaintiffs are urging the court to nullify the publication from December 17, 2024, and affirm that their appointments, made on October 15, 2024, remain valid. They assert that their tenure is protected by a five-year term, which can only be terminated in accordance with legal stipulations outlined in Section 201(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Additionally, the claimants seek an injunction preventing the defendants and their representatives from undermining their interests while they are still in office. They are also demanding to receive their full salaries, allowances, and benefits from the date of their removal until the expiration of their tenure.
Furthermore, the suit requests general damages of N250 million, citing the psychological and reputational harm suffered by the claimants due to the abrupt nature of their dismissal without just cause.
