Health minister faces contempt charge over failure to reinstate hospital MD

The National Industrial Court (NICN), Abuja Division, has ordered that a notice of contempt be served on Iziak Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, over alleged non-compliance with its judgment reinstating Monday Igwe as Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.

Also named in the notice of consequences of disobedience of a valid court order (Form 48) is the hospital’s current Medical Director, Unaogu Ngozichukwu Nneka.

The contempt proceedings, marked NICN/ABJ/23M/2026, were initiated by Igwe, following what he described as the failure of the defendants to implement the court’s ruling delivered on 11 December 2025.

In the judgment, Justice Emmanuel Subilim declared the termination of Igwe’s appointment unlawful, null and void, holding that due process was not followed.

The court found that Igwe still had about three years and five months left in his tenure at the time of his removal and ruled that he had proved his case against the defendants in suit NICN/ABJ/130/2024.

The defendants in the substantive suit include the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu, and its Medical Director.

The Attorney-General of the Federation was, however, struck out of the suit for lack of direct linkage.

The court ordered Igwe’s reinstatement and directed the payment of his outstanding emoluments from September 2023 up to the date of judgment. It also awarded ₦3 million in general damages for the distress, reputational harm and disruption caused by the unlawful termination.

Justice Subilim held that the process leading to Igwe’s removal was “arbitrary, illegal, and a fundamental breach” of the statutory provisions governing his employment.

He emphasised that the appointment, having statutory flavour, must comply strictly with the Public Service Rules and the Approved Disciplinary Procedure for Chief Executives of federal government parastatals.

Despite the ruling, the claimant alleges that the orders have not been implemented. In the Form 48 notice dated 14 April 2026, and signed by a legal team led by Michael Okorie, the defendants were warned that failure to comply with the court’s directives could result in contempt proceedings and possible imprisonment.

The notice further stated that, as of 14 April 2026, Nneka continued to perform the functions of Medical Director, while Igwe had yet to be reinstated, describing the situation as a disregard for a subsisting court order whose execution has not been stayed.