The Nigerian Senateon Thursdayordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to reinstate an Acting Director, Assets and Investigation for wrongful dismissal since 1994.

Nnochiri Anosike Igbokaike, who was also a Superintendent Officer, Narcotics, had petitioned the Agency to the Senate since May 2007.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo State), Chairman of Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee through a motion presented during plenary urged the Senate “That the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to reinstate, promote, retire and pay appropriate benefits to Mr. Igbokaike since his dismissal was an error and without cause.”

Mr. Igbokaike was cleared of the allegation by the agency in 2002 which failed to reabsorb him into service.

The initial recommendation of the Committee report submitted three weeks ago, was that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in addition to issuing a letter of clearance, to Mr. Igbokaike in order not to jeopardise his employability, should pay him the three month’s salary in lieu of notice.

But, chairman of the committee through a motion of rescission of the Senate resolution in respect of the report earlier submitted, pointed out that the recommendation did not fully reflect the opinion of the committee, and thus called for rescission of the resolution by Senate to the replacement of same.

“Further note that the correct recommendation of the committee on the report should be that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency should reinstate, promote and pay appropriate benefits to Mr. Nnochiri Anosike Igbokaike since his dismissal was an error and without cause,” Senator Anyanwu said.