Court of Appeal in Jos Reportedly Strikes Out Case Against Disengaged Plateau Polytechnic Staff

Court of Appeal sitting in Jos has reportedly struck out a case brought by the Plateau State Government against disengaged employees of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi.

The development, reported on October 23, 2026, follows an earlier National Industrial Court judgment ordering the reinstatement of 179 workers whose appointments were suspended and subsequently terminated.

However, the certified true copy of the latest ruling was still being awaited, leaving its precise grounds and implications for the earlier reinstatement order unclear.

The dispute arose from the state government’s review of appointments made between October 2022 and May 29, 2023.

The affected workers challenged their disengagement, arguing that their appointments were governed by the polytechnic’s laws, staff regulations and conditions of service, which they said had not been followed.

The government disputed the validity of the recruitment exercise, alleging procedural irregularities. It also argued that the workers were on probation and did not enjoy the employment protections they claimed.

On October 15, 2024, Justice Ibrahim Galadima of the National Industrial Court in Jos ruled in favour of Wulkwap Danjuma and 178 other workers, declaring their suspension and termination unlawful, null and void.

The court ordered their reinstatement to their respective positions in accordance with their appointment letters. It also awarded ₦5 million in general damages collectively to the workers and ₦100,000 in costs.

The court held that the appointments had statutory protection and that probationary status did not remove the obligation to follow the applicable procedures when terminating them.

It further found that the respondents had failed to establish compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements governing the workers’ employment.

The latest reported appellate decision has renewed attention on the implementation of those orders. However, the available account does not establish whether the workers have resumed duty or whether the damages and costs have been paid.

The certified ruling is needed to clarify the nature of the proceeding struck out, the court’s reasoning and any further orders. The reported decision should therefore not be described as a dismissal of the appeal or a fresh reinstatement order without confirmation from the court record.

No response from the Plateau State Government to the latest development was included in the material provided.