Former employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are reeling from their sudden dismissal, alleging maltreatment and injustice by the management. The Conference of Autochthonous Ethnic Communities Development Association Youth Wing has called for the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers.
The mass dismissal affected not only high-level executives but also deputy directors and assistant directors, who were seasoned professionals with deep institutional knowledge. The Director of Information Technology and a Director on special assignment were among those terminated, despite their crucial contributions to the bank’s projects.
The sack violated the bank’s HR policy, which requires board approval for executive terminations. The lack of clear criteria for the mass sacking and the disregard for due process have raised serious questions about transparency and legality.
The affected employees, some with over 30 years of service, were dismissed with a cold letter, leaving them with no clear reason or explanation. Many had used their salaries as collateral for loans, which were deducted from their final paychecks, leaving them indebted and financially devastated.
The purge has raised concerns about ethnic bias, with some states and regions disproportionately affected. The reported use of an external consultant unfamiliar with the bank’s HR policies and civil service regulations has exacerbated the lack of trust and transparency.
The mass dismissal has also resulted in the loss of highly trained professionals, including the entire Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), which was established to combat money laundering and illicit financial activities. This has significantly impacted the bank’s institutional knowledge and capacity.
The North Central Coordinator, Paul Dekete, has condemned the sack, stating that it was an attempt to cripple the Middle-belt region, particularly affecting Gombe, Plateau, and Benue states. He has called for the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers and a reversal of the “callous and heartless” exercise.
