By BOLANLE LAWAL

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti on Monday upheld the judgment of the lower court and reinstated 86 employees of Ekiti State University (EKSU) whose appointments were terminated.

Delivering judgment in the appeal filed by EKSU against the judgment of the National Industrial Court, Akure, Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri, who read the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal and ordered reinstatement of the employees with payment of their full benefits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 86 employees consisting of both academic and non-academic staff were unlawfully dismissed by the university on Dec. 5, 2019.

However, the employees irked by the action of the university management challenged their unlawful dismissal at the NIC sitting in Akure and on Jan. 21, 2021, the court delivered judgment in their favour.

EKSU dissatisfied with the judgment proceeded to the Court of Appeal, but the court ruled in favour of the respondents and directed the university to pay N50,000 to each respondent as cost.

Equally, Waziri ordered that the employees should be paid arrears of their three months salaries.

Counsel to the respondents, Mr Masewonrun Temitope described the judgment as great victory for the respondents.

One of the reinstated staff, Mr Ajayi Babatunde, said the judgment showed that there was still hope for the common man in Nigeria with pronouncement of the court. (NAN)

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