Workers, Students Drag Edo Govt To Court Over College Of Education Closure

…Seek order declaring closure unlawful

…Seek order compelling defendants to reopen college, among others

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ssociation of academic/non-academic workers and students of the College of Education, Iguoriakhi, Edo State have dragged the State Government and others to the National Industrial Court, Akure in suit no NICN/BEN/08/2018 for what they alleged as unlawful closure of the institution by the Obaseki Administration.

Among those named as defendants, are Edo State commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Edo State Government; the College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, as well as the Governing Council of the institution; the speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, as well as Edo State House of Assembly.

In the Writ of Summons/Complaint filed on their behalf by counsel, Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa of West-Idahosa & Co, the claimants are seeking amongst others:

 A declaration that the arbitrary closure of the college is inconsistent with the extant laws establishing the college and therefore illegal, unlawful, null and void.
 A declaration that the employment of the claimants is with statutory flavor and cannot be tampered with in any other manner other than in accordance with the provisions of the extant law establishing the college.
 A declaration that the students of the college are entitled to continue the pursuit of their academic program without let or hindrance whatsoever by the Defendants and in accordance with the provisions of the extant law establishing the college.
 An order of court directing the Defendants to re-open the college and release its annual subventions as approved in the 2018 budget for the purpose of resuming its normal academic activities in accordance with the provisions of the extant law establishing the college.
 An order of court restraining the Defendants from victimizing the claimants by abrogating, annulling or tampering with the extant law establishing the college with the intention of permanently closing same pending the determination of the suit and thereafter.
 An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants and their agents from further arbitrarily closing down the college in a manner inconsistent with the extant law establishing the college or in any other illegal manner whatsoever.

The case has been adjourned to June 7, 2018 for arguments on the claimants’ Motion for a Mandatory order to reopen the College pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.