Ex-NDLEA officer sues agency over ‘wrongful dismissal’

Williams Olanrewaju has filed a suit against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly dismissing him for exposing corruption among its ranks.

Olanrewaju instituted his suit at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN).

In the suit marked NICN/ABJ/248/2022 and seen by TheCable, the claimant alleged that he was dismissed without proper investigation.

The suit has Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman; the agency; Zirangey Sunday Drambi, Samuel Okereke Abarogu, and Taupyen Sunday as first to fifth defendants.

Olanrewaju said while working with the sensitive investigation unit (SIU) in Lekki, Lagos state, he had issues with his superiors over “corrupt practices”.

The claimant said Drambi, Abarogu, and Sunday used one Benson Ndakara, a lawyer who was not in the employ of the agency, to allegedly extort suspects.

“As an intelligence analyst of the 2nd
defendant (NDLEA), the officers mentioned in paragraph 11 above did not also want him to obstruct them from their corrupt practices in respect of ongoing investigations concerning one Mr. Tajudeen of Holland (residing in Mozambique as at 2019 and who also has a residence in Lekki, Lagos, according to the claimant intelligence analysis),” Olanrewaju’s statement of fact submitted to the court reads.

“This was a case handed over to the claimant by the commander on drug in Cotonou, Republique du Benin, along with the National Crime Agency – UK country attaché.

“As such, they vowed to get him out of the SET/SIU of the 2nd defendant at Lekki, Lagos. It is the claimant’s case that on 2nd of October, 2019, the 2nd defendant’s officers mentioned in paragraph 11 above, led by the 3rd defendant, arrested him and unlawfully detained him at a secret location in Lekki, Lagos state, for 12 days and without food for eight days.

“In the claimant’s letter dated January 5, 2020, and submitted to the 1st defendant’s office on 13th of January 2020, which he also copied the Chief of Staff and Director, Chairman’s Office, and the Directorate of Prosection and Legal Services, he explained in detail how these officers subjected him to inhuman and degrading treatment.

“A copy of the letter is hereby pleaded and the claimant shall rely on it as evidence at the hearing of this suit. The claimant avers that while in unlawful detention for 12 days and without food for 8 days, the kidney stone infection he had been treating since 2018 worsened. He almost passed out.

“It was then that he was rushed to the 2nd defendant’s clinic at 4, Shaw Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. The kidney stone disease damaged his abdominal system because they denied him urgent access to medical care.

“He is still battling his health condition till date. Copies of doctor’s Abdominal Scan Reports and other medical reports from two previous hospitals evidencing his medical condition are hereby pleaded and the claimant shall rely on it as evidence at the hearing of this suit.

“Also, the defendants are put on notice to produce the claimant’s medical reports as at on 14th of October when he was taken to the 2nd defendant’s clinic at Shaw Road, Lekki, Lagos state.”

The claimant is asking the court to order NDLEA to reinstate him and pay him a sum of N30 million in damages.