NJC
27 judges to face NJC over misconduct
The National Judicial Council has set up four committees to investigate 27 judges, while issuing a letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to be circumspect as a Judicial Officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
The resolution was made after the NJC meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
The meeting, held between 14 and 15 August, 2024, considered the report of the Committee it set up, and mandated it to invite the “Judge to appear before it to defend his uncouch language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision viz-a-viz its Policy Direction on Appointment of President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.”
Also, the NJC considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel four (4) Committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.
A statement by the Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated August 16, 2024, stated that the remaining 18 petitions were “discountenanced for lacking of merit, abandoned, or being subjudice.”
The discountenanced petitions are against Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President of Court of Appeal, Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru and Abdulazeez Waziri all of the Court of Appeal.
Others are: Justice J. T. Tsoho, Chief Judge Federal High Court, Justices Z. B. Abubakar, J. K. Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court, Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
Also, petitions written against Justices Ayodele Oyeyemi Oyebisi, Amaobi L. Agara, Amina Garba, Bello M. Tukur, Omeka Elekwa and O. A. Adetujoye who served at Asaba and Plateau National and State Assembly Election Tribunal Panels respectively were discountenanced.
NJC also considered the report of its Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of record and resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, no submission and non-performance to 215 judges all over the federation.
It also placed five Judges on its pre-sanction Watch List register for poor performance. They would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance.
Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who is attending his last NJC meeting before his retirement, appreciated the cooperation he received from members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend same to his successor.
Members of the Council also eulogized the outgoing CJN and Chairman one after the other and wished him good health in retirement.
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