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12yrs after disengagement: Court orders Ecobank to pay 1,742 ex-Oceanic bank unpaid gratuities, savings

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The National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos, has ordered Oceanic Bank to pay N1,086,611,589.11 to 1,742 ex-staff, who were denied thier entitlements by the banks.

Justice R. Gwandu gave the order while delivering judgment in suit Number NIC/LA /231/2012 filed by 1,742 ex-employees of defunct Oceanic Bank, which merged with Ecobank Bank Limited sometimes in 2012.

In the representative suits filed by Mr. Nwabu Okoye, counsel to Mr Babajide Bayode, Yemisi Adesote, Adeboyejo Oladimeji, Seun Aina, Yusuf Kadiri, Segun Alasan, Adetayo Familugba and Lolade Olaribigbe, who sued for themselves and as representatives of 1,733 other ex-employees of Oceanic Bank, now Ecobank Nigeria Limited, the plaintiffs sought the following orders from the court:

“An order directing that they be paid the outstanding sum of N1,146,470,393,.62 being the sum total of thier savings in the Staff Savings Investment Trust Fund, SSITF, scheme contributed by 1742 ex-employees of Oceanic Bank made up of those transfered to Ecobank upon merger of the two banks through the merger of February 15, 2012, and those whose employment were determined before or upon the said merger which remain unpaid till date.”

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The claimants in thier statement of claim said the amount is outstanding as their contributions to the SSITF scheme which the defendant has refused to pay till date stands at N926,901,065.60.
Claimants also asked the court for an order directing the bank to pay the sum of N159,710,523.51 being the total sum due as gratuities to 48 of the claimants and another sum of N59, 858,804,.51 being the short payments of severance or redundancy paid by the defendant to 74 of them.
However, the bank through its lawyer, S. Arubike filed a statement of defense to the suit as well as counter- claim.

The bank claim demanded for the sum of N967,529,765.38 being the excess of severance and or redundance benefits paid to the ex- staff of Oceanic Bank, that is, the claimants at 24 percent interest from October 30, 2014, until any judgement is delivered in it’s favour and interest of 10 per cent untill the judgment sum is fully liquidated.

Justice Gwandu in his judgment held that upon the consummation of the merger, Ecobank has fully acquired all the assets and liabilities of Oceanic Bank and cannot repudiate or push some of the liabilities on its employees, moreso, when it was the bank that was in control of the SSITF scheme.

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Just in: Dangote Refinery jerks up price of fuel

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The refinery announced the increase on Wednesday, hiking the the price from N1,200 to N1,275 per litre.

In the same way, coastal prices have gone up to N1,215 per litre.

This adjustment amid Brent crude trading at $114.80 per barrel marks a 3.15% increase.

Recall that the Brent crude has increased to $115 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate rose to $103 per barrel on Wednesday.

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Unbelievable: Police say officer who publicly executed handcuffed Delta man was under “spiritual attack”

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The Nigeria Police Force has claimed that the extrajudicial killing of a handcuffed suspect by Officer Usman Nuhu in Delta State to potential spiritual forces, a statement that has sparked widespread outrage and disbelief across the country.

“I will start with the issue at hand, which is a very sad issue.

” There is no explanation for this. I don’t just get what was wrong with that policeman (Mr Nuhu),” Bright Edafe, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, said in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday.

“Police cannot attribute problems to spirituality, but that may not be far from it. Because that’s the only explanation one can give to what he did,” Edafe added.

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The shocking statement comes days after a viral video sighted showed Officer Usman Nuhu executing a handcuffed suspect in broad daylight along the Warri–Sapele Expressway in Effurun, Delta State.

The victim has been identified as Mene Ogidi, a young man who had been apprehended for allegedly attempting to waybill a parcel containing a Beretta pistol with four rounds of ammunition.

In the graphic video, the handcuffed suspect was seen begging for his life, shouting, “I will talk! I will take you to the person who gave me the waybill!”

Despite his pleas, Officer Nuhu was seen taking a magazine from a fellow policeman, inserting it into his AK-47 rifle, and shooting the suspect at close range. The victim died instantly.

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The police spokesperson’s suggestion of a spiritual explanation has been met with widespread condemnation from human rights activists, legal experts, and ordinary Nigerians who view it as an attempt to deflect responsibility from the officer’s actions.

Many have pointed out that the police force had already condemned the killing and transferred Officer Nuhu to Force Headquarters in Abuja to face the Force Disciplinary Committee for summary disciplinary measures and prosecution.

The Inspector-General of Police had also extended condolences to the family of the deceased and assured them that justice would be served.

However, the latest statement from the Delta Command appears to contradict the earlier stance of the Force Headquarters, raising questions about whether the police are seriously pursuing accountability or seeking supernatural excuses for extrajudicial killings.

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Police nab suspects over alleged removal of 19-yr-old girl’s womb

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The police have nabbed two suspected human trafficking operatives in connection with the alleged removal of the womb of a 19-year-old girl in a disturbing case of gender-based violence and organ trafficking.

Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, made the disclosure on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, during the Command’s first quarter press briefing, where he outlined operational achievements from February to date.

According to a report filed on April 3, 2026, at about 5:30pm., a woman from Ekpan community in Uvwie local government area raised alarm after her teenage daughter returned home in a visibly deteriorated state of health.

The victim, who had been residing with her father in Okpaka, reportedly visited her mother in Ekpan, where concerns about her condition prompted questioning.

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In her account, the 19-year-old disclosed that in September 2025, she and two friends were introduced to a woman identified as Blessing Mongo, 47, who allegedly linked them to another suspect, Esther, 32.

The suspects reportedly facilitated their movement under the pretext of travelling to Ivory Coast.

The victim alleged that shortly after arriving in Ivory Coast, she was injected with an unknown substance and subsequently taken to a hospital.

Upon regaining consciousness, she discovered that her abdomen had been surgically treated.

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She further claimed that she was later returned to Nigeria and abandoned in Lagos before finding her way back to Delta State.

Following the report, police operatives arrested two suspects, Blessing Mongo and Esther, while investigations commenced.

The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a more detailed probe.

Medical examination conducted as part of the investigation reportedly confirmed that the victim’s womb had been removed without her consent, raising serious concerns over an alleged organ trafficking operation.

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Police authorities confirmed that the two suspects remain in custody as investigations continue, with efforts ongoing to apprehend other individuals linked to the case.

The police assured the public that justice would be pursued and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, particularly those involving human trafficking and exploitation.

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