The National Industrial Court Abuja has barred President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime from removing Joseph Okwori, provost of the Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom, Jos.
Specifically, the court barred the Federal Ministry of Agriculture from conducting interviews to replace Okwori as the college’s provost.
The court, which granted an ex parte motion, also barred the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) from removing the institution’s provost.
Okwori applied for the injunction through his counsel Dayo Oshonibare on August 31.
An interview session to get a replacement for the provost had been scheduled for nine applicants on Thursday.
Okwori was appointed as the provost on July 2, 2018, to serve a term of five years.
“I grant an order of interim injunction, restraining the defendants/respondents, their agents, privies, howsoever called, from proceeding with the scheduled interview/aptitude test/examination to fill up the office of the provost, Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom, Plateau state,” the order signed by Justice Bashar Alkali stated.
Alkali further stated, “I also grant an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants/respondents, their agents, privies, howsoever called, from suspending, removing or terminating the appointment of the claimant/applicant without following due process of law.”
The orders were granted pending the hearing and determination of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.
(NAN)