A Nigerian court has scheduled a date to send the head of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and four senior officials to prison for persistently disobeying court orders. The National Industrial Court in Lagos will deliver its sentence for criminal contempt on January 13, 2026.
Officials Facing Committal to Prison
The court fixed the sentencing date after the NUC management, led by its Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, failed to comply with a final judgment from the Court of Appeal. The other officials to be sentenced are Deputy Executive Secretary Mr. Chris Maiyaki, Director of Finance Mrs. Hauwa Amos, Human Resource Director Mrs. Victoria Omorodion, and Deputy Director of Legal Services Mr. Pascal Eruaga.
All five have been undergoing criminal contempt and committal proceedings after being served with judicial Form 48 and Form 49. Their alleged crime is the refusal to obey court orders for specific performance, stemming from a final judgement delivered by the Court of Appeal on June 28, 2024.
Root of the Contempt: A Longstanding Employment Dispute
The case originates from a ruling by the National Industrial Court on July 6, 2020. The court had ordered the NUC to reinstate a former employee, Mr. Kunle Rotimi, and pay him all his outstanding salaries, allowances, benefits, and other entitlements dating back to March 1996.
According to Rotimi, the NUC's contempt began immediately after the 2020 judgment. He alleges that the commission's legal team filed a fraudulent motion for a stay of execution, which contained elements of perjury and forgery. This, he claims, has been a tactic to obstruct justice for over 18 months since the Appeal Court's final verdict.
Petitions and Impending Consequences
Frustrated by the delay, Rotimi states he has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). He accuses the NUC's counsel of professional misconduct and filing frivolous motions to derail the case.
"NUC management has been wasting public funds on this matter to defend injustice and impunity," Rotimi said. He expressed hope that the impending imprisonment of the officials would serve as a strong deterrent to other individuals and institutions that show disregard for the rule of law and court judgments.
The court has made it clear that the officials will be sentenced to prison until they take the necessary steps to purge themselves of the criminal contempt. This landmark case highlights the serious consequences of disobeying court orders in Nigeria's judicial system.
