By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja
Some federal civil servants, allegedly dismissed illegally from the Federal Ministries of Environment and Works, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly to intervene in a prolonged battle for reinstatement.
They also called on Civil Society Organisations (CSO), labour unions, and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to implement a Senate resolution directing their recall and deployment to the Federal Ministries of Environment and Works.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, Mrs Joy Eseoghene, one of the victims, said that she and her colleagues had faced untold hardship since their dismissal in 2022.
She said that meeting basic life needs, like food, rent, school fees and medical bills, among others, required them to sell their personal property, such as a phone and other valuable items, to stay alive.
“We have gone through the right channels to seek justice; the National Assembly has investigated the matter, and both the 9th and the current 10th Assemblies have ruled in our favour.
“Yet, despite so many letters and correspondence from superior authorities, the commission has blatantly refused to obey the ruling of the National Assembly and other superior authorities to reinstate us.
“We do not know where else to go anymore. If the commission, a product of an Act of Parliament, cannot respect the National Assembly, that means it is now bigger than Nigeria.
“This illegal termination has caused us so much pain and hardship, we are calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in this matter and give us Renewed Hope.
“We call on the uncommon Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, to defend the authority of the Senate and not let anyone undermine the institution under his watch.
“Very Dark Man, Ordinary President Ahmed Issah of Berekete Family, Labour Unions, social media influencers, human rights activists, please come to our help, we do not have one but we Nigerians and deserve to earn a living,” she said.
Eseoghene said that the Senate, in its December 10, 2025, Votes and Proceedings, resolved that the commission should reinstate the eight affected civil servants and post them back to their respective ministries to resume work.
She said that in the resolution, the Senate asked the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to ensure the reinstatement and posting of the officers to their respective ministries to resume work.
According to her, the affected officers include Dangla Bitrus, Attahiru Enagi, Patrick Ikechukwu, Ukueku Oghenetega, Opara Adaoma, Opara Chukwuemeka, and Oloriegbe Inamud.
Eseoghene said that the resolution followed the consideration of a petition by Throneroom Attorneys, headed by Mr John Iyafokhai, on behalf of affected officers, on March 13, 2024.
She recalled the Senate referred the petition to the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petition for investigation and recommendations.
In response to the referral, Eseoghene said that the committee on May 7, 2024, under its powers as enshrined in Sections 62, 88 and 89 of the Constitution, summoned the FCSC chairman.
She said that the Head of Service of the Federation, the Ministers of Environment and Works, as well as the former Director of Recruitment in the FCSC, Mr Ibrahim El-Yakubu, were also summoned.
According to her, the officials were asked to appear for a public hearing, which was held in Senate Meeting Room 120 on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Wednesday, July 11, 2024 and Wednesday, November 27, 2024.
“The investigation conducted by the committee showed that we, the petitioners, were duly employed by the FCSC with duly signed appointment letters by the Director of Recruitment and Appointment at FCSC.
“The outcome of the investigation also showed that our names were published on the official gazette, and that we sat for the compulsory 2020/2022 Confirmation/Promotion Examination (COMPRO) conducted by OHCSF.
“Upon conclusion of the investigation, the Chairman of the committee, Sen. Neda Imasuen (APC-Edo) presented the panel’s report with three unambiguous recommendations.
“The Senate do urge the FCSC and the Office of the OHCSF to reinstate all eight dismissed officers, namely:
“Joy Eseoghene, Dangla Elisha Bitrus, Attahiru Mohammed Enagi, Ani Patrick Ikechukwu, Ukueku Oghenetega Opara Sylvia Adaoma, Opara Anthony Chukwuemeka; and Oloriegbe Charles Inamudu and post them back to their respective ministries to resume work.
“That the Senate do urge the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to unfreeze all the salary accounts of the officers and pay their arrears of salaries and entitlements from the date of their dismissal to date.
“That the Senate do direct the Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure that the FCSC chairman and the OHCSF complied with the Senate Resolutions on this matter,” she said.
Eseoghene said that after consideration of the report, the recommendations were adopted by the Senate as captured in the December 10, 2025, Votes and Proceedings of the upper chamber.
She said that following the resolution, the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr Kamoru Ogunlana, on January 29, 2026, wrote to the FCSC chairman to convey the resolution of the Senate, and it was acknowledged on February 3, 2026.
She also said that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Compliance, Sen. Garba Maidoki (APC-Kebbi), had on December 16, 2025, January 21, 2026 and February 25, 2026, written the FCSC chairman to ensure compliance,, but to no avail.
“The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, in a letter dated March 29, 2026, directed the FCSC to comply with the Senate resolutions, but that has not been done.
“The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), in a letter dated May 14, 2026, signed by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Dr Ibrahim Kana, also directed the commission to take the necessary action as directed by the Senate, but that has not been done,” she said.
Eseoghene recalled that the 9th House of Representatives, led by the then Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila also received the same petition on November 21, 2022.
According to her, the petition was referred to the House Committee on Public Petitions and the investigation was concluded on the March 23, 2023 in favour of the petitioners.
She said that the then Chairman of the committee Rep. Jerry Alagbaoso, presented the report on the floor of the 9th House of Reps, as reflected in the Vote and Proceedings of Tuesday, June 6, 2023 .
However, the house could not ensure implementation before the end of the 9th National Assembly; hence, the need to present the petition to the 10th Senate.
Eseoghene urged all Nigerians to come to their aid so they could return to work and feed their families.
