Sacked CBN Assistant Director Sues Apex Bank, Seeks ₦5 Billion In Damages

The Termination

A former Assistant Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs. Asher Uwem, has dragged the apex bank before the National Industrial Court in Abuja, challenging the termination of her appointment after more than 21 years of service. The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/275/2026, was filed by her counsel, Reuben Atabo, SAN, and contains ten reliefs, including three alternative prayers. Uwem, formerly Head of the Facility Management Division at CBN, is challenging a termination letter dated May 14, 2026, describing it as wrongful, unlawful and contrary to the bank's Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual.

Her Case

She is asking the court to set aside both the termination letter and an earlier suspension letter dated June 20, 2025, describing both as perverse, unfair and unconstitutional. A central plank of her case is that she was suspended before being given any opportunity to respond to the allegations against her, which she argues breached her right to fair hearing. She noted that the query over the allegations was only issued on July 22, 2025, more than a month after her suspension had already taken effect.

The Denials

Uwem denied allegations that led to her suspension, including a claim that she received $500 from Ms Saidu Sadiya, Managing Director of Aurum Facility Management Company Limited. She maintained that as Head of the Facility Management Division, she lacked authority to approve or influence the outcome of any project proposal, and that she never directed or permitted the submission of vendor quotations for projects in Abuja or Maiduguri, stating that such submissions are handled by the service coordinator. She said no resubmission of project proposals was carried out with her knowledge or consent, and that she served the CBN meritoriously and diligently throughout her tenure.

What She's Seeking

Her primary relief seeks reinstatement along with payment of salaries and allowances from the date of termination until judgment, and thereafter until her retirement. In the alternative, she is seeking ₦5 billion in exemplary or aggravated damages for the humiliation, embarrassment and psychological trauma she says the termination caused, alongside ₦500 million in general damages and an order directing CBN to bear the cost of litigation. Her legal team has relied on a 2024 Supreme Court decision in Sgt. Bala Akawu v. Nigerian Army, arguing that the procedure adopted against her was inconsistent with established legal principles governing termination in cases involving allegations of misconduct. The matter remains pending, with no hearing date yet communicated to the parties.