Retired Lieutenant Colonel Silas Santoi has promised to challenge his premature retirement from the Nigerian Army after the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court sitting in Abuja dismissed an application he filed over for his reinstatement.
The court presided by Justice Januaria Moreira ruled that “his claims are groundless and are hereby dismissed.”
Santoi said he was illegally and prematurely retired from the Army in 2005 but believe that the court would reinstate him.
“I was unlawfully retired by the Nigerian Army, and I have not lost faith that justice will be done,” he said.
He said he decided to seek redress in court because all his efforts to resolve the issue out of court proved abortive.
“In the past, I have written to two former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan. I also appealed to the National Judicial Council, the 6th and 7th National Assemblies and other pro-democratic organisations in the country, seeking justice, but all to no avail.
“I have equally appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari through the National Council of State to intervene in the matter, but I am yet to get justice.”
He also blamed the absence of the counsel assigned to him by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in court as being responsible for the decision of court.
In the petition titled: “Petition of Misconduct in Suit No Ecw/Ccj/App/17/18 between Lt. Col. Silas Jock Santoi and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he “accused the court of manipulating the judgment and blamed this on the absence of the NBA counsel despite repeated reminders on the suit.”
“I was disturbed as to the absence of the NBA representative to watch brief at the ECOWAS court on November 22, 2018, in spite of my reminders in your office and particularly to the Counsel assigned by the NBA,” part of the petition read in part.
