MUHAMMAD, JCA (Delivering the Leading Judgment): Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited is an automobile plant based in Kaduna and specialized in assembling and sale of Peugeot cars. The respondents who were the plaintiffs at the Kaduna State High Court, instituted an action for themselves and on behalf of over 1000 co-workers against the appellant/defendant who relieved them of their employments as a result of declaring their posts redundant. Each of the respondents was employed by the appellant under a separate agreement. Dates of employment varied ranging from 1975 to 1986.
In their joint statement of claim, the respondents/plaintiffs in paragraph 18 asked for the following reliefs:
"(18.1) A declaration that each of the plaintiffs who has completed 5 years of service with the defendant, is entitled under the defendant's terms and conditions of service to payment of gratuity based upon the number of years served in the defendant's service and an order for payment of same.
2. An order …