News
IRC Speaks on Allegations of Racism Amid Delay in Its Appeal Against NICN Judgement over Wrongful Termination of Ex-Staff
Despite the repute of the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global non-governmental body that helps to rebuild people affected by humanitarian crises, there is an allegation that same organisation is built on a mindset of “white supremacy” that perpetuates “racism” against staffers in its workplace.
Reacting to the racism accusations, the IRC’s Senior Human Resource Coordinator, Aamir Fida, however, denied that such culture exist in the organisation.
Fida, who said he had barely spent two years in IRC acknowledged he was aware about a case that was registered against the company prior to his resumption in office.
His words: “..there is no discriminations against anyone regardless of their age, gender, race, status or anything, this is not true at all.
“I don’t know who brought the complaint and I don’t know why he is saying this because we never had such things (racism) before, in our organization there is a very open and very transparent environment and we are responsible to everyone and everyone is leaving on equal level and that is our culture and I don’t know why he saying that because there is no any incident like that.”
“If it is going to be complained about and after an investigation if all the allegations and all the evidence are established and it contravenes our moral conduct, a very strict punishment is given to the perpetrator.”
“I am only just one and half year with the organization I don’t know what happened in that case but I was told that the case was registered against IRC but I don’t know the parties to that case”
This is coming, nearly four years after the International Rescue Committee (IRC) went to the Court of Appeal in Abuja to appeal a judgment by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), ordering it to pay its former staff named, Daniel Bassey over discrimination and wrongful termination of his employment contract without following IRC’s international policy standard – there seems to be little or no progress in the matter.
The judgment delivered in 2017 by Justice Edith Agbakoba of NICN in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/102/2015 between Dr. Daniel Etim Bassey (claimant) and International Rescue Committee Nigeria (Defendant) seeking reliefs held that the claimant’s appointment (Bassey) was constructively wrongfully terminated.
Agbakoba ruled that IRC pay Bassey N3,300,000:00 (Three Million, Three Hundred Thousand Naira) being the balance of six (6) months salary due him under fixed term contract which was wrongly terminated.
Following the judgment which was delivered exactly on 13/12/2017 IRC filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Suit CA/A/62/2018 but they seem to be reluctant in prosecuting the appeal.
*How Bassey Secured NICN Judgement against IRC*
S.S Mshelia, Counsel to the claimant, had on 24th April, filed for declaration that the abrupt termination of the claimant’s employment contract by the Defendant was without justification, thereby amounting to a breach of contract.
A Declaration that the termination of the Claimant’s employment contract by the Defendant is against IRC Nigerian Country Programme National Staff Employment Policies 2014 thereby amounting to a breach of Contract.
These submissions went through legal tussle for two years and in 2017 Justice Edith Agbakoba of NICN delivered the judgement in favour of the claimant.
*Appellant’s Counsel, Rotimi Denies Delaying Appellate Court Proceedings*
Rotimi Esq. said the matter is in court. “…nobody can drag the matter in court” he said. He added that “if the court fix a day for a matter, the matter will be heard that day.” Rotimi said.
According to Aamir Fida, the Senior Human Resource Coordinator, “IRC has a policy of due process following termination”, which was apparently not applied in this matter. And since 2017, IRC applied to the appellate court for a reversal of the judgement of NICN which favours Dr. Bassey, very insignificant progress has been made. It’s four years now and the respondent believes that the injustice he received by the IRC will not have occurred if he was of a different race and the matter would have reached a rapid conclusion.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned social media personality and self-acclaimed relationship adviser, Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged N36 million fraud.
Blessing CEO was arraigned on Friday before Justice D.I. Dipeolu on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and alleged theft involving N36 million
According to the EFCC, the defendant allegedly obtained the money from one Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the pretext of securing a six-bedroom duplex in Lekki, Lagos — a claim prosecutors said she knew to be false.
During proceedings, defence counsel P.I. Nwafor informed the court that the defendant had refunded N24 million to the complainant and requested a short adjournment to allow discussions over the outstanding balance.
“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million.
“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” the lawyer said.
However, prosecution counsel S.I. Suleiman opposed the request, insisting that the commission was not involved in any private settlement arrangement.
“The complainant here is the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we are here for the arraignment. We urge that the defendant take her plea, as that is the business of the day,” he argued.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Dipeolu held that settlement talks could continue independently but would not stop the arraignment process.
“The defence and the nominal complainant can have discussions even during the pendency of the charge. It does not affect the proceedings before the court. The defendant will take her plea,” the judge ruled.
One of the charges alleged that between July 14 and 17, 2024, Blessing CEO fraudulently obtained N36 million from the complainant over a purported property lease in Lekki.
Another count accused her of unlawfully converting the money to personal use, contrary to provisions of the Criminal Code Act.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following her plea, the prosecution asked the court to commence trial and remand her in a correctional facility, while the defence requested that she remain in EFCC custody pending bail arrangements.
Justice Dipeolu subsequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter to June 5, 2026, for commencement of trial.
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has narrated how his principal almost sacked him because of Lagos State House of Assembly member, Desmond Elliot.
He said he almost lost his job during the Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa impeachment saga.
Recall that lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly had said that Obasa was impeached to save the integrity and sanctity of the House of Assembly and Lagos State.
The lawmakers, while jointly addressing journalists at the Assembly Complex, said: “It’s just a change of baton. It is only death that is constant, so change is inevitable.”
However, with President Tinubu against the impeachment, the Speaker was restored and peace returned to the Assembly.
Addressing members of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said, “I almost lost my job as Chief of Staff last year because of Desmond Elliot. Mr President called me to his house in Abuja during the Lagos Speaker Obasa saga.
“He said, ‘I hear this Desmond is your boy, the one we gave you,’ and I said, ‘Yes, sir. He is one of the people causing problems in the Lagos House of Assembly.’
“Immediately, I told the president that Desmond wasn’t part of them, but the president replied and said that, from the intelligence he received, Desmond was part of them.
“After that meeting, I called Desmond and told him what the president said, and asked him to leave the group if he was part of them. Three days later, the DSS DG called me and said there was a problem.
“He said your name is being mentioned, that you’re the one behind the impeachment saga and that you’re supporting Desmond.
“I spoke to the DSS DG and told him I had spoken to Desmond and he denied being part of the group. I then asked Desmond to make a public statement denying his involvement in the impeachment saga, but till today, he hasn’t done it.”
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the kickoff of the 2026 West African Second-term School Certificate Examination, saying it would be computer-based, and decrying the decline of male participation as against their female counterparts.
The Council made the disclosure on Monday, while addressing the media at its National Office in Yaba, Lagos, on steps so far taken to ensure a hitchfree 2026 Examination.
In his address, the Head of National Office, Mr. Jacob Josiah Dangut, remarked that the 2026 computer-based WASSEC, started on April 21, 2026 with practical test papers, stressing that the nitty gritty parts of the exercise will kick off on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, therefore the reason for the sensitization of the Nigerian public on the exams.
He noted that nearly two million candidates registered to sit for the examinations.
In his words, “A total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools enrolled for the examination.
“Of this number, 958,564 candidates (48.92%) are male, while 1,001,072 candidates (51.08%) are female. This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year.”
Dangut called on policy formulations to take the matter serious so as to reinvent the urge for education among the malefolks.
Meanwhile, Dangut informed the public that candidates are being tested in 37 subjects across 97 papers, supervised by about 29,000 senior secondary teachers nominated by state ministries of education.
Dangut said the rise in computer-based entries followed the successful debut of the format in 2025, with more schools and offshore institutions adopting it for its efficiency and alignment with global standards.
The 2026 exercise will run through to June 19th.
