By Awwal Umar Kontagora The National Judicial Council (NJC) has constituted four probe panels to investigate 27 high court judges across the...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has constituted four probe panels to investigate 27 high court judges across the country over various allegations of judicial misconduct.
In a related development, the Council has issued a letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court, urging him to exercise caution as a judicial officer, even in the most challenging situations.
Justice Olagunju was reportedly criticized for using inappropriate language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, in which he challenged the Council’s decision and its policy direction regarding the appointment of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Oyo State.
At its 106th meeting, presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the NJC reviewed the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions filed against 27 judicial officers from both federal and state high courts.
Based on the committee's findings, the Council has established four panels to investigate the allegations in the petitions deemed to have merit.
According to a statement by the NJC's Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, the remaining 18 petitions were dismissed for lacking merit, being abandoned, or because they were sub judice.
The dismissed petitions were against the following judges: Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President of the 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.
Also included were Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court; Justices Z. B. Abubakar, Kolawole Omotosho, and Sunday B. Onu, all of the Federal High Court; and Justice Okon E. Abang, during his tenure at the Federal High Court.
Additional dismissed petitions were filed against Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court; Justice Babagana Karumi of the Borno State High Court; Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the Niger State High Court; Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of the Osun State High Court; and Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of the Nasarawa State High Court.
Furthermore, the NJC has placed five judges on its pre-sanction watch list due to poor performance. If these judges do not show improvement, they will be recommended for appropriate sanctions.
During what was his final meeting before retirement, Justice Ariwoola expressed his gratitude for the cooperation he received from Council members and the NJC Secretariat, and he urged them to extend the same support to his successor.
In response, members of the Council praised the outgoing CJN, lauding his leadership, and wished him good health in his retirement.
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