By Igbotako Nowinta, Alltimepost.com Nigerian Bureau Chief
Disengaged workers of Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), a subsidiary of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who alleged they were unlawfully laid off with a paltry sum of N 100,000 each on June 30, 2004, have cried out for justice to be served in their case.
The disillusioned Nigerians are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko, to as a matter of urgency wade into the issue to save them from untold hardship that has befallen them since their alleged wrongful laid off.
In an exclusive interview with Alltimepost.com, two of the affected IDSL staff, Pa. Andrew Evbuomwan and Mr. Umunna Usueke, narrated gory tales of excruciating poverty, several deaths within their rank and file, judicial manipulations, even up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria where their case is presently stuck.
“In the last fifteen years we have lost six of our comrades due to ill health, lack of financial empowerment and stark poverty to this struggle, 73 years old Pa Andrew Evbuomwan, who put in 26 years as casual worker for IDSL,” lamented.
“Our matter, 43 of us Versus Integrated Services Limited (IDSL), began in 2005. We waded through the High Courts and the Court of Appeal and got to the Supreme Court in 2011, where the case got stuck in 2012.
“We were told that the Supreme Court has gone online to process cases to be presented to its Court, but we have waited in vain nothing is being heard again.
“Our Lawyer who prefer to be anonymous for obvious reasons looks equally frustrated so far, as nothing tangible is being processed from the Supreme Court end”
In his own comment, obviously dejected 62-year-old Umunna Osueke, who served IDSL diligently for 26 years said: “A look at the NNPC Condition of Service regarding Casual Workers or Contract Workers stipulates that, after six months, we were supposed to be made permanent staff. Even, we were made to go through the process of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Tax.
“That made us eligible for Pensions and Gratuities. We have been unlawfully disengaged and are calling on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammed Tanko and President Muhammadu Buhari to order a probe of our case and other truncated cases at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, that have been stalled by administrative or political cum compromised measures of interested parties.
“We are dying, we demand urgent justice and speedy redress of our fundamental Human Rights to fair hearing.”
Alltimepost.com investigation revealed that as at 2004, when the IDSL workers were disengaged, they demanded the sum of N5 million each as compensation, but now that the matter is stuck at the Supreme Court of Nigeria after 15 years, if the case turns out in their favor each of them will be going home with 100% of their original financial demands.
The disengaged workers actually worked at the corporate office of IDSL at Oko in Benin City, Nigeria. Their case IDSL VS Evbuomwan & 42 others was fixed for hearing at the Supreme Court of Nigeria on June 12, 2012, but the respondent via their lawyer tactically played down on the date by refusing to cooperate, even with evidence of Affidavit of Service sworn by some of the disengaged workers on the April 5, 2012 in Abuja.
As at press time, IDSL could not be reached for comment on the issue.
