A trial court has reinstated Mohammed Dauda as the Acting Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency NIA.

Mohammed Dauda, was the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency as well as the Acting Director-General of the Agency when he was dismissed from service on March 6, 2018. 

On May 18, 2018, Mohammed Dauda through his legal counsel Kanu G. Agabi (CON) SAN challenged his dismissal from the Service in a trial court stating that the procedure adopted by the Agency leading his "dismissal falls short of the provisions of Article 8 (1) and 2) of the National Securities Agency Act (Cap 278 LINI 1956 ans null and void."

On Thursday October 15, the trial court ruled that Dauda's dismissal is unlawful, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

The Court therefore ordered his immediate reinstatement as Director and the Acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, adding that all of his salaries and entitlements during the period of his unlawful dismissal be paid. 

Below are the trial court's declarations for Mohammed Dauda's reinstatement as published by his legal counsel: 

A DECLARATION that by virtue of the provisions of Article 8 (1) and (2) of the National Securities Agency Act (Cap 278 LFN) 1986, retired Directors and former members of the National Intelligence Agency are not competent to sit as members in the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee (SSDC).

A DECLARATION that the failure of the Defendants to set up competent Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee (SSDC) to look into the allegations levelled against him is a violation of his constitutional right to fair hearing.

A DECLARATION that the purported letter of dismissal issued to him on the 6 day of March, 2018, is unlawful, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

AN ORDER reinstating him as Director and the Acting Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, AN ORDER for the payment of his salaries and entitlements from the period of his unlawful dismissal to the point of his reinstatement, On October 15, 2020, the Learned Trial Judge in a well-considered Judgment, found in favour of the Claimant, answered the questions in the affirmative and granted the reliefs sought. With specific reference to relief 5 above, the trial Court granted same mutatis mutandis, that is, his Lordship reinstated the Claimant as a Director of the National Intelligence.