The Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria has issued a temporary injunction preventing the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) from implementing their decision to discontinue the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Pharmaceutical Technology.
Justice Peter Lifu, who presided over the case, ordered both organizations to halt any further actions regarding the scrapping of the HND program until a lawsuit filed by six concerned Nigerians is fully resolved. The judge emphasized that since the NBTE and PCN are aware of the ongoing legal proceedings and have already engaged with the plaintiffs, they must maintain the status quo.
“No step must be taken by any of the parties on the subject matter until a final decision is reached,” Justice Lifu stated, adding that any action contrary to this order could undermine the authority of the court.
The lawsuit was brought to the court by six plaintiffs who, through their lawyer, Adewunmi Adebayo, also requested that the Minister of Education be included as a defendant in the case. This request is based on the fact that the decision to scrap the HND program was made during a ministerial meeting convened by the Minister of Education.
Justice Lifu, recognizing the national significance of the matter, scheduled a ruling on the application for September 11 and stressed that all parties must comply with the court’s order to avoid rendering the case ineffective.
“The court’s order must be obeyed for the sake of democracy, society, and peace in the country,” the judge remarked.
Kamaludin Umar, representing the NBTE, assured the court that his client is a law-abiding organization and would adhere to the court’s directive.
The NBTE had announced in a circular dated April 7, 2024, its decision to discontinue the HND in Pharmaceutical Technology across all institutions. The circular, signed by NBTE’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Idris Bugaje, stated that while current students would be allowed to graduate, no new admissions would be permitted after April 2024. The circular also noted that graduates of the program might face limitations in clinical settings, according to the PCN.
Dissatisfied with this decision, the plaintiffs sought an interim injunction to prevent the NBTE and PCN from enforcing the circular, arguing that the matter was of national urgency.
The plaintiffs in the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/911/2024, include Abdul Aziz Bello, AbdulRasheed Tanimu, Osaro Odeh, Comrade Olufemi Adebisi, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists and Pharmacy Technicians of Nigeria. The defendants are the NBTE and PCN.
