The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Federal Government to reinstate Professor Monday Igwe as the Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, after declaring the termination of his appointment unlawful, null and void.
The court also nullified the appointment of Dr Unaogu Ngozichukwu Nneka as the substantive Medical Director of the hospital during the pendency of the suit, describing the action as unlawful and an act of overreaching.
According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment delivered on December 11, 2025, and obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, Justice Emmanuel Subilim held that Professor Igwe had successfully established his case against the defendants.
Delivering judgment in suit number NICN/ABJ/130/2024, the court specifically ordered that Professor Igwe be reinstated as Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, to complete his unexpired tenure of three years and five months.
The court further directed that all the claimant’s emoluments from September 2023 up to the date of the judgment be paid in full.
The 1st to 7th defendants in the suit are the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, and the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Unaogu Ngozichukwu Nneka.
In his ruling, Justice Subilim held, “From the foregoing comprehensive analysis and having carefully weighed the evidence on the preponderance of probabilities, the court finds that the claimant has discharged the heavy burden of proof placed upon him.
“The procedure adopted for the purported termination of the claimant’s appointment was arbitrary, illegal, and a fundamental breach of the mandatory statutory provisions and regulations governing his employment. Consequently, the termination is hereby declared null and void, and of no effect whatsoever. I so hold.
“It follows, therefore, that the reliefs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), as sought by the claimant, hereby succeed in their entirety.”
On the claim for general damages, the court stated, “From the evidence before this court, the salary of the claimant was unlawfully stopped when he was suspended in September 2023.
“I have already made an order for the payment of all his emoluments from September 2023 to date, which addresses the specific financial loss of salary.
“However, the claimant has also suffered significant distress, inconvenience, reputational damage, and disruption to his career and personal life as a direct consequence of the arbitrary and unlawful termination of his statutory employment.
“In view of these factors, and having considered the totality of the circumstances, I hereby award the sum of N3 million.”
The court, however, struck out the name of the Attorney-General of the Federation from the suit, holding that the claimant failed to establish any link between the AGF and the issues in dispute.
Court documents showed that Professor Igwe was first appointed as Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, through a letter dated April 12, 2019, for an initial tenure of four years.
His appointment was subsequently renewed for a second term after what was described as a satisfactory performance during his first tenure in office.
Professor Igwe was later suspended from office through a letter dated September 20, 2023, an action he argued was in violation of the Public Service Rules and the Approved Disciplinary Procedure for Chief Executives of Federal Government parastatals, agencies and departments.
A ministerial committee was later set up to investigate the allegations against him and reportedly recommended his reinstatement.
Despite the recommendation, his appointment was eventually terminated upon presidential approval, a decision the court found to have been based on misleading recommendations presented to the President.
