Court Deals Crushing Blow To Ex-General In Battle Against Army

The National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit filed by retired Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi challenging his compulsory retirement from the Nigerian Army.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a ruling delivered on Friday, the court held that the suit was statute-barred, having been filed outside the time limit prescribed by law.

The decision followed a preliminary objection raised by the Nigerian Army and other defendants, preventing the matter from proceeding to a full hearing.

According to a source familiar with the case, Ali-Keffi’s legal team is considering an appeal after obtaining the certified copy of the judgment.

“The National Industrial Court ruled today that the matter concerning retired Major General Ali-Keffi’s compulsory retirement is statute-barred because the case was instituted after the expiration of the three-month period provided by the Constitution,” the source said.

The court also declined jurisdiction over the retired officer’s allegations of fundamental rights violations, directing him to seek redress before a Federal High Court or a State High Court.

“On the issue of abuse of fundamental human rights, the court held that it lacked jurisdiction and advised that such claims could be pursued at the federal or state high courts. Consequently, the suit was dismissed. He may either appeal the ruling or file a fresh action before the appropriate court,” the source added.

Ex-General Sought ₦200 Billion Damages

The judgment represents a major setback for Ali-Keffi, who had asked the court to nullify his compulsory retirement and award him more than ₦200 billion in damages and compensation.

The retired officer sued the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army Council, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Armed Forces Council, the Minister of Defence, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

He alleged that he was unlawfully arrested, detained for 64 days, and subsequently forced out of service after raising concerns about the handling of suspects linked to terrorism financing.

Ali-Keffi previously served as Commander of Operation Service Wide, a special presidential task force established by former President Muhammadu Buhari in October 2020 to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of financing terrorist activities.

He claimed that some suspects arrested during the operation were released despite ongoing investigations.

Court documents showed that he was arrested by military authorities on October 18, 2021, and remained in detention until December 21, 2021.

According to him, he was neither informed of the allegations against him nor arraigned before any court or military tribunal during the period of detention.

Ali-Keffi further stated that he was served with a compulsory retirement letter immediately after his release. The letter reportedly cited incompetence and disloyalty to constituted authority as reasons for the action.

He argued that the allegations were never formally communicated to him or proven through any disciplinary process, insisting that the retirement amounted to a punitive dismissal disguised as an administrative measure.

Among his requests, he sought an order nullifying the retirement and directing the authorities to treat him as having retired voluntarily upon reaching the statutory retirement age.

He also demanded ₦100 billion in general damages for alleged unlawful detention, reputational harm, and emotional distress, another ₦100 billion in punitive damages, and ₦120 million in special damages representing salaries and allowances he claimed he would have earned between January 2022 and January 2026, in addition to pensions, gratuities, and other retirement benefits.