The National Industrial Court (NICN) sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has thrown out a substantive lawsuit filed by a former staff member of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Ishmael Adesina Sanni, who was seeking over N1.5 billion in damages for alleged wrongful dismissal.
In a judgment delivered on July 30, 2026, Justice Yakubu Muhammad Hassan dismissed the suit marked NICN/IB/102/2020, ruling that the claimant failed to provide sufficient evidence that his termination was wrongful, unlawful, or malicious.
Beyond dismissing the case, the court granted the bank’s counterclaim, ordering Sanni to repay an outstanding loan balance of N8,164,521.07 to Sterling Bank.
Sanni, through his counsel, A. D. Abiona, had approached the court seeking multiple reliefs, including a declaration that his dismissal was unlawful.
He alleged that Sterling Bank falsely accused him of misconduct and maliciously petitioned the police to recover debts, subjecting him to public humiliation.
His claims included N2.5 million in unpaid salaries and entitlements, N500 million in damages for wrongful dismissal and violation of fundamental rights, and N1 billion in damages for alleged defamation.
The former banker argued that the bank’s allegations, specifically that he sold a vehicle acquired through a loan without authorisation, were unfounded.
In response, Sterling Bank Plc, represented by its counsel, U.S. Ngugah, argued that Sanni was lawfully dismissed and urged the court to enforce the repayment of the debt he owed.
In his judgment, Justice Hassan emphasised that the burden of proof rests on an employee who alleges wrongful dismissal. While the claimant tendered his employment documents, the judge noted that he failed to demonstrate how Sterling Bank violated the terms of his contract.
Furthermore, the judge rejected the claim that the bank violated Sanni’s fundamental rights by reporting him to the police.
Justice Hassan held that citizens and corporate entities have a civic duty to report suspected crimes to law enforcement agencies.
He found no credible evidence that Sterling Bank acted with malice or exceeded its bounds by merely lodging a complaint.
Consequently, all ancillary claims for damages and unpaid salaries were dismissed.
On the bank’s counterclaim, the court ruled in favour of Sterling Bank, citing that Sanni admitted during cross-examination to obtaining several loan facilities and acknowledged that he still owed an outstanding balance.
The judge consequently ordered him to pay the sum of N8,164,521.07. However, the court declined the bank’s request for a refund of N3.39 million allegedly paid after dismissal, noting a lack of sufficient evidence to substantiate that claim. Claims for general damages and interest were also refused.
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