GALADIMA JSC (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, delivered on 6 July 2005, dismissing the appellants’ appeal against the decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja, given on 8 October 2003. The trial Federal High Court had upheld the respondents’ preliminary objection and dismissed the appellants’ suit on three grounds, namely:
(a) “That the appellants’ suit was statute-barred by virtue of section 2(2)(a) of the Public Officers Protection Act, Cap. 41, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004;
(b) That the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action; and
(c) That the trial court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.”
In the appellants’ appeal to the court below, they still subjected the three grounds of the respondents’ objection to further consideration. At the end of the day, the court affirmed the decision of the trial court and dismissed the appellants’ appeal as lacking in merit. At page 655 of the rec…