The Nigerian Senate has rejected the dismissal of a Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) service member.
The Senate on Tuesday directed the Corporation to restore Engr. Aniekan Paddy Ukpe, a former District Engineer whose appointment was terminated in March 2023.
The Red Chamber further ordered that the former District Engineer be paid all due benefits, citing no evidence linking him to the vandalism of railway rails under his control.
Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, raised the issue before the Senate.
The congressman provided the Senate with a report based on a petition filed by the Engineer, alleging improper termination of his appointment by the Corporation.
Engr. Ukpe stated in his plea that he was the Senior Civil Engineer for the North Central District, which included Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa states.
He described how he was told of a railway track vandalism that occurred on September 19, 2022, at Kamuru Station in Zonkwa, Kaduna.
After receiving the information, the Engineer stated that he immediately sent a verbal telegram report to the District Manager and filed a formal complaint with police.
He stated that this resulted in the arrest and prosecution of the offenders, two of whom were sentenced to two years in prison.
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According to Ukpe’s petition, rather than being thanked by the District Manager, he was accused of failing to report the occurrence.
The District Manager questioned him and then forwarded the case to an investigating committee.
He claimed that the committee’s findings were biased and riddled with anomalies, which led to his dismissal without an opportunity to defend himself.
The NRC, through its Managing Director, Engr. (Dr.) F.E. Okhiria, justified the termination by charging dereliction of duty.
According to the NRC, Engr. Ukpe delayed reporting the occurrence to his superiors and showed complacency in managing the situation.
The corporation claimed that his acts breached the Railway General Rules of 1964, justifying his firing.
