Eight Permanent Secretaries in Rivers State have dragged the Nyesom Wike-led State Government to the National Industrial Court in Yenagoa, capital of neighbouring Bayelsa State, over their compulsory retirement from the state civil service.

The litigants are Mr Sam Woka, Ms Kadilo Brown, Mr Augustine Orlu-Orlu, Mr Muka Nwikosi, Mr Minabelema Michael-West, Mrs Ngozi Abu, Mr Kingsley Hart and Mrs Justina Jumbo.

Joined in the suit are the Attorney-General of the state, the Head of Service of the state, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and the Accountant General of Rivers.

Mr Tuduru Ede, Counsel to the Permanent Secretaries, told the court when the suit that commenced on Monday that the purported compulsory retirement of his clients was in contravention of the civil service rules and therefore unlawful.

He urged the court to declare the exercise null and void since it did not follow the laid down procedures in the public service.

Ede further applied to the court to restrain the government in Rivers from further threat and harassment of the Permanent Secretaries with eviction from their official residential accommodation and seizure of their official vehicles.

“My clients have been severally threatened by Rivers government officials, they are afraid and therefore seek the protection of the court,” Ede said.

Ruling on the application for interlocutory injunction to restrain the government from harassing the Permanent Secretaries, Justice James Agbadu-Fishim noted that defence counsel was absent but sent a representative to appeal to the court for time to appear.

The judge adjourned the case to Jan. 21, 2016 to hear the motion for interlocutory injunction pending the determination of the matter.

•Photo shows Governor Wike.

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