NIKI TOBI, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The appellant was born in 1943. He was appointed as a painter and decorator in the former Ministry of Works and Water Resources in the then Northern Region and later known as the Northern States of Nigeria. The appointment took effect from 5th December, 1962. The appellant was later transferred to the North Central State and finally to Kaduna State.
Appellant, who rose to the rank of Chief Works Superintendent, Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, Kaduna State was retired from the service of Civil Service by virtue of implementation Guidelines on the Civil Service Reforms of 1988 and Establishments Circular E BD 111996 No. S/PEN/24/1/320 of 13th January, 1996 made pursuant to Civil Service (Re-organization) Decree 1988.
The appellants, aggrieved by the action of the respondents, sued by way of originating summons on 16th October, 1998 after entering into several correspondences with the respondents. The reaction of the…