News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has filed a defence in suit instituted by ex- MD, Barr Alex Adum at the National Industrial Court, Makurdi.
Adum had taken the state owned company, where he held sway, to court demanding entitlements running into over N185 million covering his Car, salary, severance, gratuity, allowances, Cost of litigation, special damages and
General damages.
When the case came up for mention on Friday at the National Industrial Court in Makurdi, Counsel to BIPC, Mr Nathans Gwebe told the court that they have filed their defence.
Gwebe said their defence was already served on the claimant and other defendants.
All counsels therefore agreed that the court processes be regularized and the case allowed to progress.
He said the claimant has no case against defendants and have responded to the complaint of the Claimant point by point.
Gwebe averred that the claimant had on 30th June, 2020 during an emergency board meeting and the 97th board meeting of the company held on 30th March, 2023 approved the purchase of official cars for some management staff.
He said on April 17, 2023, the claimant and others were paid N142.4millon for official cars adding that the Claimant collected N65.8m from the said amount.
He said the claimant upon his appointment was placed on GL 14 salary and his gross monthly salary was N481,538.54 while his net monthly salary was N252,208.16 and not the figures he mentioned in his complaint.
He said only staff on the payroll of the company were entitled to salary and allowances therefore since the claimant was no longer their staff, he cannot enjoy such benefits.
He said the claimant had before his removal from office collected certain allowances up front which they would be asking the court for refund.
He said they would provide more details during their defence.
Adum had dragged the defendants before the court challenging his illegal removal from office and refusal of the defendants to pay his entitlements running into over N185 million.
The claimant told the court that the defendants appointed him on August 20, 2019 as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) for a statutory term of 5 years.
He averred that the defendants, however, on June 1, 2023, through a correspondence from the Secretary to the State Government SSG, removed him from office without due process.
He said the defendants has refused to pay his salary, allowances and severance gratuity as contained in his condition of service.
He said the defendants were owning him N23.7 million salary and allowances for the remaining 15 months of his term and severance gratuity of N1.5 million.
He further averred that he was entitled to an official car (SUV) to be either purchased or monetized but he was not given and urged the court to compelled the defendants to pay him N130.7 million for the car.
He also asked for N5 million cost of litigation, special damages of N5 million, general damages of N20 million and 20 per cent interest on the judgement debt from the judgement until the entire amount was paid.
The Presiding Judge, David Isele adjourned the case to May 27, 2024 for hearing.
