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A former staff member of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Charlene Makai, has dragged the commission to the National Industrial Court, Abuja Division, where she is demanding N12 million in compensation for alleged unfair labour practice.
In the Suit No: NICN/ABJ/136/2024; Makai, a former officer in the commission, accused the commission of harsh treatment, harassment, and abuse when she was a staff of the commission.
In the lawsuit, Makai, through her lawyer, Ajibola Bello, of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, alleged that her salary and allowances were withheld by the commission before her “forced resignation”.
Makai is the claimant in the suit while the NCPC is the defendant.
The claimant said she was employed by the defendant in July 2013 as an administrative officer (Grade Level 09) but grew to become chief administrative officer (Grade Level 13) by October 2023.
The claimant said she was redeployed from Abuja to the South-East geopolitical zone in February 2024 to work under the South-East Zonal Officer, Isaac Okeke, who was lower in rank than her.
Makai said she sought clarification from the commission’s executive secretary who insisted that she report to Okeke and she obliged.
The claimant said she was offered an appointment by the Senator representing Plateau Central in the National Assembly, Diket Plang, to be his Special Assistant on Employment and Job Creation Policy.
Makai said the Senator also wrote the commission’s executive secretary for some sort of approval and the executive secretary told the senior lawmaker that the claimant was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for financial infractions and conversion of public properties and for that reason the executive secretary cannot release the claimant for secondment.
The claimant said her monthly salary was withheld and she was forced to resign on April 22, 2024, due to harsh treatment, harassment, and abuse.
The claimant consequently asked the court to direct the defendant to pay her N178,369 being monthly gross salary and allowances for April 2024, N86,460 being kilometre allowance for her redeployment, N41,252 owed resettlement allowance for her redeployment, and N252,000 owed 28 days redeployment allowance.
The claimant also asked the court to mandate the defendant to pay the sum of N10 million as “general damages for constructive dismissal and unfair labour practice” and the sum of N2 million for the cost of the suit.
The court has ordered that the defendant be served the notice of the suit.