The Nigerian Senate has directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation to reinstate a former District Engineer, Engr. Aniekan Paddy Ukpe, whose employment was terminated in March 2023.
The Senate also mandated that Ukpe be paid all outstanding entitlements, stating that there was no evidence linking him to the vandalism of railway tracks in his jurisdiction.
The resolution came after Senator Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo South), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, presented a report based on a petition filed by Engr. Ukpe.
In his petition, Ukpe detailed his role as Senior Civil Engineer in the North Central District, which covers Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa states.
He recounted how, on September 19, 2022, he reported a vandalism incident involving railway tracks at Kamuru Station in Zonkwa, Kaduna State, to the District Manager and the police.
The police investigation led to the arrest and prosecution of the offenders, two of whom were sentenced to two years in prison.
However, instead of commendation, Ukpe was accused of underreporting the incident, issued a query, and later dismissed following an investigative committee’s findings.
The Senate committee found that the NRC’s decision to terminate Ukpe’s employment was not substantiated by sufficient evidence.
The investigative committee’s conclusions were deemed inconsistent and prejudicial, and Ukpe was not given adequate opportunity to defend himself.
Senator Imasuen emphasized the importance of fair treatment for public servants, urging the NRC to reinstate Ukpe and compensate him for all losses incurred due to the termination.
The NRC, represented by its Managing Director, Engr. (Dr.) F.E. Okhiria, maintained that Ukpe’s dismissal was justified, citing his failure to promptly inform superiors about the vandalism and his lack of urgency in addressing the situation.
The Corporation argued that this violated the Railway General Rules of 1964.
Despite this defense, the Senate ruled that the termination lacked merit and instructed the NRC to comply with its directives.
