After 11 Years, Former NCAA Employee Wins Court Case

By Innocent Anaba

LAGOS — The Court of Appeal in Lagos has dismissed an application filed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, allowing a judgment that ordered the reinstatement of former employee Mrs. Annastasia Anukwa to be enforced. The ruling was made on 23 April 2026 by a three‑member panel consisting of Justices Folasade Ojo, Muslim Hassan and Polycarp Kwahar, who found that NCAA had failed to prosecute its motion diligently. The court noted that the applicant’s counsel had been served with a hearing notice on 20 April 2026 but did not pursue the case, leading to the dismissal of the motion filed on 19 March 2025.

The decision follows a judgment issued by the National Industrial Court in Uyo on 13 December 2024, which ordered NCAA to reinstate Mrs. Anukwa and pay all outstanding salaries, allowances and entitlements lost as a result of her dismissal.

Despite the court’s order, Mrs. Anukwa has written to the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, expressing that the aviation agency has not fully complied with the judgment. In her petition, she urged the minister to intervene and ensure that NCAA implements the court’s decision, which set aside her summary dismissal and directed her reinstatement.

Mrs. Anukwa first brought the suit against NCAA in November 2015, challenging the termination of her employment and seeking declarations that her appointment was protected by statute and that her dismissal was unlawful. She also sought an order to set aside the dismissal, reinstate her to her position, pay all salary arrears and entitlements—including N666,520 allegedly withheld for January and February 2015—as well as damages and costs.

The claimant told the court that she joined NCAA on 30 July 2001 and rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Chief Accountant at Grade Level 13 Step 08. She maintained that her performance records were consistently rated excellent. According to her, the dispute arose after issues relating to her redeployment and deferred annual leave. She contended that she was wrongly accused of absconding from duty and was dismissed without due process.

NCAA argued that she disobeyed a redeployment directive, bypassed established reporting channels, and absented herself from work without approval. In its judgment, the National Industrial Court rejected the agency’s position, holding that the claimant was neither properly queried nor subjected to the disciplinary procedures stipulated under NCAA’s conditions of service before her dismissal.

Justice S. Danjidda held that NCAA, being a statutory body established under the Civil Aviation Act, operates under conditions of service that have the force of law, thereby conferring statutory protection on the claimant’s employment. The court declared the dismissal null and void, ordered her reinstatement, and directed NCAA to pay all withheld salaries and entitlements. All reliefs sought by the claimant were granted except her claim for litigation costs.

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