- As legal tussle over his removal, dismissal continues
BY EDMOND ODOK – Determined to ensure his personal liberty and fundamental human rights are not abused, former acting Director-General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Mohammed Dauda has urged Federal Government to stop interfering with pending proceedings in the appeal challenging his removal and dismissal from office.
Consequently, Dauda is appealing to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to use his office in ensuring nothing compromises the ongoing legal tussle with the Intelligence Agency.
A petition dated January 11, 2022, and signed by his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), the ex-NIA boss expressed fears for his life and therefore urged the AGF to also ensure that he is not arrested by any other security agency.
Agabi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, also forwarded the petition to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; and the Department of State Services (DSS) for the information and necessary intervention.
The Senior lawyer stated in the petition that Dauda had, after his removal from office and subsequent dismissal from service, challenged the decision at the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja, adding that the court, on October 15, 2020, ruled that the plaintiff’s dismissal was unlawful and ordered his immediate reinstatement.
He said the petition became necessary following a report in a national daily that there was an attempt to compromise his personal liberty, saying; “Despite the pendency of the two appeals at the instance of the National Intelligence Agency, the Nigerian media space is awash with news reports suggestive of attempts by the personal liberty of Our Client on account of these appeals and or matters connected thereto.
“Arising from the above, we, therefore, appeal that the Honourable Attorney General sees to it that the sanctity of the pending judicial processes is not compromised by the NIA, acting either by itself or through any of its sister agencies by arresting, attempting to arrest or by whatsoever means compromising the personal liberty of Our Client on account of these appeals and or matter connected thereto.”
Agabi noted in the petition that unfortunately, the favourable judgment by the NIC notwithstanding, his client, Dauda, is yet to be reinstated following the NIA’s decision to appeal the judgment of the Industrial Court.
Sacked on March 6, 2018, Dauda had approached the court, praying that he should be reinstated as his dismissal contravened the procedure of Section 8 of the National Securities Act (NSA).
In delivering her judgment on the case on October 15, 2020, Justice Olufunke Anuwe granted all reliefs sought by the claimant, declaring that Dauda’s disengagement was illegal, null, and void, ordering his immediate reinstatement.
Besides awarding him N1 million in compensation, the judge also ordered full payment of Daudu’s salaries and entitlements from the date of his purported dismissal.
In an originating summons filed through his counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), and marked NICN/ABJ/136/2018, Dauda had prayed the Court to determine whether the procedure adopted by the defendants in the case leading to his purported dismissal was in compliance with Article 8(1) and (2) of the National Securities Agency Act (CAPS 278), 1986.
