NJC suspends three judges and warns seven others

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judges for mishandling cases that came before them.

The judges are Justice Hannatu Kabir from the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Salihu from the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, and Justice Sobere Biambo from the Rivers State High Court.

Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the NJC’s Deputy Director (Information), said in a statement on Wednesday that these decisions were made during the council's 112th meeting on 3 November.

These actions were part of broader conclusions the NJC reached after reviewing disciplinary matters involving these judges, which were looked into by the council’s investigative committees.

Disciplinary Actions

Apart from the suspensions, the NJC also recommended 28 candidates for different judicial appointments and took other actions during the meeting.

While three judges were suspended, seven others received warnings. The council also dismissed some petitions against other judges.

The NJC approved a one-year suspension without pay for the three judges and added restrictions on the promotion of two of them.

Justice Kabir from the Nasarawa State High Court was suspended for one year without pay. She was also barred from being nominated for elevation for three years because she unlawfully detained a litigant for 58 days without following proper contempt procedures.

The investigation committee found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention for disobeying court orders without issuing the required Forms 48 and 49 or starting proper contempt processes. They stated that the litigant could not be tried and punished summarily since the alleged contempt happened outside the court while she was in session. The statement said, "The committee also found that the action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing."

The Grand Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, Mr Salihu, was also suspended for one year without pay for reopening a judgment from the FCT Upper Area Court.

The committee found that he overstepped his authority by forming a committee to review the judgment and assigning the matter to a higher sharia court judge, who then received new evidence and gave another judgment.

This process was ruled as an appeal against a valid judgment, which the Jigawa State High Court later set aside. The committee said this action violated Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.

During the suspension period, the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal will perform the Grand Kadi's duties.

In the third case, Mr Biambo from the Rivers State High Court was also suspended for one year without pay and faced a three-year restriction on elevation. This was due to his issuing bench warrants and imposing fines on litigants in a civil case without following due process.

The investigation found that he ordered the arrest of petitioners for allegedly disobeying an interim injunction and imposed fines of N300,000 on each without starting contempt proceedings or serving Forms 48 and 49. It stated that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and should not have been summarily tried or punished.

Cautions Issued

The council issued warnings to six judicial officers and placed some of them on a watch list for six months.

The affected judges include Justices Bello Kawu and Mohammed Zubairu from the FCT High Court, Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana from the Nasarawa State High Court, Justice C. A. Ogbuagor from the Enugu State High Court, Justice Chibuike Azuama from the Imo State High Court, and Justice Kayode Agunloye from the FCT State High Court.

The council found merit in a petition against Justice Kawu for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, despite an existing remand order from another judge of the same court.

The investigation committee found that Justice Kawu knew of the earlier order, which was set to expire at midnight on 24 December 2025, but still granted bail on 23 December 2025, which conflicted with it. The NJC directed that he receive a warning letter and be placed on the watch list.

Additionally, the council found merit in a petition against Justices Oyigbenu and Kana from the Nasarawa State High Court for not delivering a judgment in an appeal within the required 90 days.

The judges claimed that this requirement did not apply to appellate courts, but the council noted that they admitted judgment was delivered late without a good reason. They were told to be more diligent in their case management and received warning letters for breaching Section 294 of the Nigerian constitution.

The NJC also directed that Judge Zubairu of the FCT High Court be cautioned and placed on the watch list after the investigation found that he acted improperly by making orders after being informed that an appeal was already filed at the Court of Appeal.

The committee ruled that his actions showed disregard for the appellate court and were close to insubordination. The committee found his defense unsatisfactory.

Justice Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was cautioned and advised to understand the law and procedures for appeals after the council found that he showed "judicial impertinence" by denying fair hearing and overriding due process while proceedings were ongoing despite a pending appeal.

Justice Azuama of the Imo State High Court also received a caution, was placed on the watch list, and advised to take his responsibilities seriously after the NJC found that he granted an ex parte garnishee order freezing bank accounts of Puma Energy, which was not a party in the main suit, causing the company significant losses.

The council cautioned Justice Agunloye of the FCT High Court regarding his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings in a case involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Dismissed Petitions

The council dismissed two petitions against Justice B. M. Balarabe from the Kaduna State High Court and Justice Evelyn Anyadike from the Federal High Court. It also struck out a petition against Justice Peter Ikujuni from the Ondo State High Court because it was leaked or published on social media, violating the National Judicial Policy, 2016.

Additionally, a petition against Justice Abdullahi Mika’ilu from the Niger State High Court was dismissed due to lack of diligent prosecution.

The council dismissed 24 petitions for lack of merit and recommended four for further investigation. One petition will be held in abeyance because it is sub judice. The NJC decided to continue investigating a petition against Justice G. N. Ugbala from the Ebonyi State High Court despite the petitioner’s notice of withdrawal.