The National Industrial Court has ordered Presal Nig. Ltd to pay four former employees N8.5 million within the next 30 days or attract interest at the rate of 10 percent per annum.

THE GUARDIAN reports, Justice Zaynab Bashir ordered the sum of N4 million to be paid as the claimants’ outstanding salaries, allowances, and other benefits from Dec. 2015 to Sept. 2016, contributory pension from Aug. 2013 to Sept. 2016, and gratuity payment.

In addition, the claimants is to be awarded the sum of N4 million as general damages and N500,000 as cost of action.Information Guide Nigeria

According to THE GUARDIAN, the court declared that the modalities employed by the defendant in paying the claimants their outstanding salaries, allowances and other benefits in piecemeal as harsh, wrongful, illegal, are unacceptable.

The court described the failure to pay the claimants outstanding salaries, allowances and other benefits from Dec. 2015 to Sept. 2016 as harsh, wrongful, illegal, unacceptable, and breach of the claimants’ rights.NYSC portal

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Although the court condemned the refusal of payment of 50 per cent of their terminal monthly salary, the claimants, Mr Abdulahi Ibrahim, Ayebaiduate Omubo, Innocent Tommy and Friday Barikpe submitted that the defendant terminated their employment without complying with the conditions of service.

The defendant also argued that the claimants were paid salaries in lieu of termination which was accepted by them and thereby their rights and obligations under the employment were deemed to have been extinguished.JAMB Result

However, the court did not grant the claimants relief that sought for reinstatement.