A retired Nigerian Army officer, Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi, has filed a multi-billion-naira suit against the Nigerian military and other top defence authorities at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja.
The case, marked NICN/48/399/2025, lists the Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army Council, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Armed Forces Council, the Minister of Defence and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants.
Ali-Keffi is challenging his compulsory retirement from service, alleging unlawful arrest, prolonged detention, torture and denial of fair hearing. He is seeking various declarations and damages against the defendants.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, the defence filed a statement of defence raising preliminary objections. The military authorities argued that the court lacks jurisdiction and contended that the suit is statute-barred, stating that the claimant failed to appeal his retirement to the Army Council within the 90-day period stipulated under the Armed Forces Act.
The court adjourned the matter to April 30, 2026, for hearing of the preliminary objections.
In his filings, Ali-Keffi claimed he was arrested on October 18, 2021, and detained until December 21, 2021, without being formally informed of any allegations or charged before a court-martial or any competent court. He argued that the detention violated his constitutional rights to personal liberty and fair hearing.
The retired general, who was appointed in October 2020 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to head Operation Service Wide, a covert presidential task force targeting terrorism financing, alleged that his detention followed disputes over the handling of suspects in military custody.
He is seeking ₦100 billion in compensatory damages for alleged unlawful arrest, detention and psychological trauma, and another ₦100 billion in punitive damages. He also claims ₦120 million as special damages for unpaid allowances he says would have accrued until his statutory retirement age of 60.
In addition, Ali-Keffi is asking the court to nullify his compulsory retirement, direct that he be treated as having voluntarily retired upon attaining 60 years, and order payment of his pensions, gratuities and other entitlements with 10 per cent annual interest until fully settled.
