Student sues Nigerian govt for appointing interim management for Maritime Academy

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami

A Nigerian student has asked the Federal High Court, Uyo, to restrain an interim management committee from running the affairs of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom state.

The federal government, through the Ministry of Transport, in September set up an interim management to run the affairs of the country’s pioneer maritime academy.

The management, headed by Adebayo Sarumi, is tasked with the responsibility of restructuring the school for its eventual take off as a maritime university.

According to court documents, Ene Ene, a prospective student who is seeking for admission into the academy, is accusing Mr. Sarumi of taking “arbitrary actions” which he said has “adversely affected the smooth running” of the academy.

Mr. Ene is suing Mr. Sarumi and others for the alleged suspension of the admission into the national diploma, higher national diploma, and postgraduate diploma programmes of the school for the 2017/2018 academic session.

He said the suspension has affected him as a prospective student who applied for admission into the national diploma programme.

The academy, the minister of transportation, and the attorney general of the federation are co-respondents in the suit.

One Francis Otioro is the co-applicant.

The applicants are seeking for “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 3rd defendant whether by himself, privies, officers, agents, servants or through any person whatsoever from directing, running, interfering or participating with the administration, management of affairs of the 1st defendant in any manner whatsoever pending the hearing and determination of this suit.”

The applicants in their affidavit said that “the Maritime Academy of Nigeria has a Governing Council which is the only recognized body with the authority to administer, manage and run its affairs” and that “the Interim Management Committee chaired by the 3rd respondent is neither part of the Governing Council nor a recognized agent or body of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria.”

The case was filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, on behalf of the applicants.

No date has been fixed for it yet.

The school host community has also protested against the interim management.