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The National Industrial Court, Ibadan Division, has fined the Oyo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) a sum of N250,000 for beating up a court official who went to serve the union court processes.
Justice Kola Olalere slammed the fine on the union on Tuesday while delivering a ruling on application for withdrawal of suit filed by the Oyo State Government against the organized labour in the state.
The state is praying the court to declare as illegal the ongoing indefinite strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the state on the grounds that the labour did not follow laid down procedure. It held that there was no unresolved dispute that necessitated a strike.
While hearing in the suit was ongoing, a court official was said to have been beaten up while he went to serve the NUT court processes at its secretariat off Ring Road, Ibadan.
Justice Olalere found the union guilty of assault and ordered the NUT to pay the fine within one month.
Meanwhile, the court has granted the oral application by the state government to withdraw the suit and substitute it with a new one.
The government, whose legal team was led by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Seun Abimbola, put the court on notice about another fresh application with additional defendants.
The court, in considering the merit of the application, said the claimant is required to come with a written application as provided for in order 19 rule 17 of the National Industrial Court.
However Justice kola Olalere ruled that since the defendants who are members of the Oyo State NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) did not oppose the request, the court has power to exercise its discretion to adopt oral application made by the claimant.
She pointed out that the objection raised by other defendants who are members of NUT was insignificant since there was no evidence that granting such application will amount to injustice.
The president of the court to is decide next sitting date on the new suit.