Extortion: Sacked NIMC workers threaten legal action

Indications have emerged that some of the workers dismissed by the National Identity Management Commission are threatening legal action against the body.

No fewer than six workers were sacked by the commission after being indicted for extortion during the ongoing National Identity Number enrolment.

Some of the dismissed workers were also indicted for illegal and unauthorised printing of the NIN for external organisations.

However, our correspondent has learnt that some of the officers are planning to take the NIMC to the National Industrial Court to overturn their dismissal.

A source told our correspondent that besides demanding reinstatement, the dismissed workers are also considering asking the court to compel the NIMC to compensate them.

The source said, “Some of them have already approached lawyers over the matter.

“They are planning to take the matter to the National Industrial Court.

“They want the court to overturn their sacking and also ask the commission to compensate them for sacking them.”

Our correspondent further learnt that the dismissed workers we are insisting that the NIMC Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, who investigated them, lacked the powers to dismiss them from the service.

But our correspondent learnt that a lawyer approached by one of the dismissed workers turned down the case on the ground that “extortion is a criminal offence.”

The General Manager, Legal Services, NIMC, Hadiza Dagabana told our correspondent that, apart from terminating their appointments, they were also considering filing criminal charges against the dismissed workers.