Well being Minister Faces Contempt Fees Over Defiance of Court docket Order Reinstating Enugu Hospital Director
Contempt proceedings have been initiated in opposition to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Well being, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, and the present Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Unaogu Ngozichukwu Nneka, over their alleged refusal to adjust to a courtroom order reinstating Prof. Monday Igwe as Medical Director.
Court docket paperwork present {that a} Kind 48 discover(a statutory warning beneath Nigerian legislation) has been served on each officers for failing to obey a December 11, 2025 judgment of the Nationwide Industrial Court docket, Abuja Division (Go well with No. NICN/ABJ/130/2024).
Justice E.D. Subilim had declared Prof. Igwe’s termination null and void, nullified Dr. Unaogu’s appointment, and ordered Prof. Igwe’s fast reinstatement to finish his remaining three years and 5 months in workplace.
The courtroom additionally ordered fee of wage arrears and awarded Prof. Igwe ₦3 million in damages.
Prof. Igwe was first appointed Medical Director in April 2019 for a four-year tenure and had his appointment renewed for a second time period after what courtroom paperwork described as passable efficiency.
In September 2023, he was suspended following a battle with Mr. Afam Ndu, the Performing Principal of the hospital’s College of Put up Fundamental Psychiatric Nursing. Prof. Igwe had issued disciplinary queries in opposition to Ndu for alleged insubordination and refusal to adjust to lawful directions.
A seven-member ministerial committee investigated the allegations in opposition to Prof. Igwe and cleared him of all severe costs, recommending his reinstatement.
Nevertheless, the courtroom discovered that the Minister misled President Bola Tinubu with a “twisted report,” leading to presidential approval for Prof. Igwe’s termination in violation of the Public Service Guidelines and Accepted Disciplinary Process for Chief Executives of Federal Authorities parastatals.
The Kind 48 discover warns each Dr. Salako and Dr. Unaogu that continued disobedience of the courtroom order may lead to committal for contempt of courtroom and imprisonment.
In keeping with the discover, as of April 14, 2026, “Dr. Unaogu Ngozichukwu Nneka has continued to carry out features of the workplace of Medical Director whereas Prof. Monday Igwe has not been reinstated to workplace in utter disregard to the subsisting orders of this Honourable Court docket which execution has not been stayed.”
The Certificates of Judgment/Ruling issued by the Nationwide Industrial Court docket confirms that the courtroom discovered Prof. Igwe’s termination breached established procedures.
It additionally declared Dr. Unaogu’s appointment, made whereas the go well with was nonetheless pending and through which she was a celebration, to be a nullity and an act of overreach.
This isn’t Dr. Unaogu’s first encounter with contempt proceedings. In 2025, she was dedicated to jail by an Enugu State Excessive Court docket presided over by Justice E.M. Egumgbe for defying a courtroom order in a separate case involving the identical Mr. Afam Ndu.
The courtroom had granted a perpetual injunction restraining hospital administration from scrutinizing Ndu’s credentials, however Dr. Unaogu, then performing as Medical Director, allegedly constituted a senior workers committee to additional examine the matter in defiance of the order.
In a press release, public affairs analyst Comrade Honesty Ogbu accused the Minister and hospital management of “flagrantly refusing” to implement the courtroom ruling months after it was delivered, regardless of there being no keep of execution.
“It’s unsettling that people and establishments that must be topic to the legislation now seem extra highly effective than the legislation itself,” Ogbu stated, calling on President Tinubu and different stakeholders to intervene and guarantee these discovered responsible of contempt face authorized penalties.
Court docket paperwork dated April 2026 point out that enforcement processes are ongoing, with the matter remaining lively earlier than the Nationwide Industrial Court docket.
As of the time of this report, neither the Federal Ministry of Well being nor the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, has issued an official response to the contempt allegations.
