Lawyer seeks Malami’s intervention over army’s refusal to reinstate Col. Ribah Hassan despite court order

Mr. Samuel Zibiri, the lawyer to an “unlawfully retired’ senior military officer, Col. Danladi Ribah Hassan, has called on the Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, to intervene and ensure that Col. Hassan is reinstated into the Nigerian army.

The senior military officer, alongside eight others, were compulsorily retired on 9th June 2016, by army authorities.

However, it was gathered that the National Industrial Court delivered its judgment in favour of Hassan and his other eight colleagues.

In the said judgment of 8th January 2019, Zibiri, in a petition to Malami, disclosed that the Court ordered the reinstatement and payment of Col. Hassan’s salaries and emoluments from the date of his compulsory retirement.

Zibiri, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in his petition dated 25th January 2022 and sighted by PRNigeria, said the Nigerian Army, rather than reinstating their client (Col Hassan) in line with the Trial Court’s judgment, decided to appeal the said judgment of the National Industrial Court.

“However, the Court of Appeal on 31st December 2021 in a unanimous decision upheld the decision of the Trial Lower Court and affirmed the judgment.

“The said appellate Court in her wisdom equally ordered that our client be reinstated and all of his allowances, salaries and emoluments from the date of his purported compulsory retirement till date be paid forthwith,” he said.

Zibiri, appealed to Malami to use his exalted and good office to ensure that the courts’ judgments are “complied with, and giving effect to, and that the rule of law is ultimately upheld to the latter.” (PRNigeria)