NJC suspends three judges, disciplines six others

The National Judicial Council has suspended three judges for one year without pay over various acts of judicial misconduct, including unlawful detention of litigants, reopening of concluded cases and imposition of fines without due process.

The council also barred two of the judges from elevation for three years, while issuing warning letters and cautions to six other judicial officers over alleged breaches of judicial conduct.

The decisions were taken at the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, but sighted by our correspondent on Thursday, the council said it approved the suspension of Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.

Justice Kabir was sanctioned over the unlawful detention of a litigant for 58 days without proper contempt proceedings.

The NJC said, “The Investigation Committee found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention for alleged disobedience of court orders without the issuance and service of the mandatory Forms 48 and 49 or the institution of proper contempt proceedings.”

It added that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not lawfully be summarily tried and punished.

“The committee also found that the action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing,” the statement added.

The council consequently approved her suspension for one year without pay and barred her from nomination for elevation for three years.

Similarly, Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for one year without pay over his involvement in reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.

According to the NJC, the investigation committee found that the Grand Kadi exceeded his authority by constituting a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigning the matter to a Higher Sharia Court judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered another judgment.

“The committee held that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, which was subsequently set aside by the Jigawa State High Court,” the council stated.

It added that the action violated Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.

The NJC directed that the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal should perform the functions of the office of the Grand Kadi during the suspension.

The third judge, Biambo, was suspended for one year without pay and barred from elevation for three years over the issuance of bench warrants and imposition of fines on litigants in a civil dispute without due process.

The council said the committee found that he ordered the arrest of the petitioners for alleged disobedience of an interim injunction and subsequently imposed fines of N300,000 on each of them without instituting contempt proceedings or serving Forms 48 and 49.

It stated, “The committee held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and ought not to have been summarily tried and punished.”

Meanwhile, the NJC cautioned Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court over his handling of proceedings involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Justice Kawu was found to have granted interim bail to Malami despite a subsisting remand order issued by another judge of the same court.

The council said the investigation committee found that Justice Kawu knew of the earlier order, which was due to expire at midnight on December 24, 2025, but granted interim bail on December 23, 2025, in conflict with it.

The NJC consequently directed that a warning letter be issued to the judge and that he be placed on its Watch List.

It also approved warning letters to Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana of the Nasarawa State High Court over their failure to deliver judgment in an appeal within the constitutionally prescribed 90 days.

The council said it rejected their arguments that the constitutional provision did not apply to appellate courts.

It stated, “The committee rejected their arguments that the constitutional provision did not apply to appellate courts, noting their admission that judgment was delivered outside the stipulated period without a satisfactory explanation for the delay.”

The NJC said their actions breached Section 294 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and advised them to be more diligent in their case management.

The council also cautioned Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court for entertaining an application and making orders after being informed that an appeal had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.

It said the committee found that his action “amounted to disregard for the appellate court and bordered on insubordination.”

Similarly, Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was cautioned for allegedly denying fair hearing and disregarding due process and the hierarchy of courts by continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for stay of proceedings.

Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court was also cautioned and placed on the NJC’s watch list after granting an ex parte garnishee order freezing the bank accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit.

The council said the action caused the company substantial losses.

In another development, the NJC recommended 28 candidates for appointment as judicial officers across five states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The candidates comprise 24 nominees for appointment as High Court judges in Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states, one candidate for appointment as Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, another as Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and two candidates for the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

The council said, “All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.”

It also directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the state’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in the shortlist of candidates for appointment as substantive Chief Judge.

The decision followed a petition by Bob Kay Njemanze, who challenged her exclusion from the shortlist submitted by the commission.

The NJC noted that although the State Judicial Service Commission had the constitutional responsibility to advise it on suitable candidates, the council retained the authority to determine the suitability of persons presented to it.

It consequently directed its secretariat to formally request the commission to include Agugua’s name in the shortlist.