Owner of defunct Air Nigeria, Jimoh Ibrahim, has been ordered to pay the sum of N475,280,492.48.
This was declared in a judgement by Justice Agbadum Fishim of the National Industrial Court, who also declared that the termination of over 800 workers of the defunct Air Nigeria was illegal.
Ibrahim has also been told to pay them $309, 270.00, being the claimants’ arrears of salary, and pay each of the claimants their respective one month salary in lieu of notice.
The judge also ordered that the defendant shall calculate each of the claimants’ contributory pension entitlement and pay same to their respective Pension Fund Administrator and pay N5 million cost to each of the claimants.
The defendant was also warned that all payments be made not later than 30 days from the date of the judgement. If he defaulted, there would be an additional 10 percent interest.
In a suit filed by the workers against Air Nigeria, their solicitor had argued that the workers were all employed by Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited via their respective letters of employment.
However, on December 31, 2010, Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited was changed to Air Nigeria Development Limited and all business related and liabilities of Virgin Nigeria Airways Limited were transferred to Air Nigeria.
The workers through their solicitors also stated that they were notified about this change through a letter by Jimoh Ibrahim through the CEO of the airline, Kinfe Kanssaye, who also signed them.
They further argued that the termination of their employment did not follow due process as the workers had not withdrawn their services from the company and they were being owes salary arrears from May to August 2012.
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