The National Industrial Court, Abuja Division, has issued an interim order restraining the Governor of Benue State, the Benue State Government, the Secretary to the Benue State Government and the Attorney General of Benue State, their agents, servants or privies from seizing, impounding or interfering with the Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles in possession of three former commissioners of Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, pending the hearing and determination of a Motion on Notice before the court.
The former commissioners are Aondowase Kunde Aondowase (former Commissioner on Humanitarian Services and Disaster Management), Tiza Isaac Imojime Orya (former Commissioner of Works and later Commissioner for Youth and Sports), and Hon. Anna Itodo (former Commissioner for Women Affairs).
In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/291/2026, the three former commissioners who served under Governor Alia are seeking a declaration that they are entitled to the payment of all salaries, allowances, benefits, end-of-tenure benefits, vehicle-related benefits and all other entitlements which accrued to them during their respective appointments and service as Commissioners in the Government of Benue State. They are also seeking a declaration that the failure, refusal and/or neglect of the defendants to calculate, account for and pay them their accrued entitlements constitutes a breach of the terms and conditions of their respective appointments and the applicable government policies, circulars and conditions of service governing the office of commissioner.
The former commissioners further seek a declaration that they are entitled to have their respective outstanding entitlements calculated, verified and paid in accordance with their letters of appointment, applicable government policies, conditions of service and other relevant instruments. They are seeking a declaration that the Governor of Benue State, the Benue State Government, the Secretary to the Benue State Government, the Attorney General of Benue State, and the Director, Department of State Services, Benue State Command cannot lawfully threaten, intimidate, harass, unlawfully arrest, unlawfully detain or otherwise coerce them for the purpose of compelling the return of their respective official vehicles while their entitlements remain unpaid and the civil dispute unresolved.
Kunde, Imojime and Mrs Itodo are further seeking a declaration that the alleged telephone threat communicated to them substantially in the following words: “You have been invited to return your official cars and you have failed. If we don’t see you before Thursday, we will fish you out and deal with you,” is unlawful, oppressive, intimidating and inconsistent with the former commissioners’ constitutional rights and the rule of law.
They are seeking an order directing the defendants to calculate, verify and pay to each of them all outstanding salaries, allowances, benefits, end-of-tenure entitlements and other sums found due under their respective appointment terms and the applicable government policies. The plaintiffs are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, officers, privies or any person acting on their instructions from threatening, harassing, intimidating, unlawfully arresting, unlawfully detaining or otherwise coercing the Claimants in connection with the demand for the return of their respective official vehicles.
Hon. Kunde, Mr Imojime and Hon. Itodo are further seeking general damages in the sum of ₦100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) jointly and severally in their favour for the threats, intimidation, harassment and unlawful interference with their peace and personal liberty, among other reliefs.
The Court further ordered the Governor of Benue State, the Benue State Government, the Secretary to the Benue State Government, the Attorney General of Benue State and the Director, Department of State Services (DSS) from unlawfully harassing, intimidating or threatening the former commissioners in connection with the said vehicles, pending the hearing and determination of a Motion on Notice filed by the former Commissioners before the court. The court however declined the prayer seeking the unconditional Prohibition against arrest and detention of the former commissioners.
A date for the hearing of the Motion on Notice for the interlocutory injunction will be fixed by the Registry of the court at the earliest practicable date. Justice M.A. Hamza gave the orders while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by counsel to the former commissioners.
