NJC Probes 27 Judges Over Alleged Misconduct  

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has set up four probe panels to investigate no fewer than 27 High Court judges over allegations of judicial misconduct filed against them.

THE NEWSHAUS reports that the panels were constituted during the 106th meeting of the NJC, presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, after due consideration of the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 judicial officers of the Federal and State High Courts.

A statement by the NJC Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, stated that the remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lacking in merit, abandoned or being subjudice.

The NJC also placed five judges on its pre-sanction watch list register for poor performance, stressing that they would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they did not improve on their performances.

In addition, the NJC issued a letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court, cautioning him to be circumspect as a judicial officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.

Justice Olagunju was said to have used uncouth language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging the Council’s decision and its policy direction on the appointment of President, Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.

The discountenanced petitions, NJC revealed, were against Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. 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 Hon. Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court; Hon. Justices Z. B. Abubakar, James Kolawole Omotosho, and Sunday B. Onu, all of the Federal High Court; and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court.

The rest are Hon. Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court of Borno State, Hon. Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Hon. Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court, and Hon. Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.

Meanwhile, Justice Ariwoola, being the last meeting before he bows out of service, appreciated the cooperation he received from members of the Council and the Council’s secretariat, just as he implored them to extend the same to his successor.