The National Judicial Council (NJC) has set up committees to investigate eight judges following petitions written against the.
The NJC is chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad.
In a statement signed by Soji Oye, Director of Information at the NJC on Thursday, the Council said the decision to set up the panel to investigate the judges was taken at its meeting on the 22nd and 23rd October, 2019.
The statement explained that the “meeting deliberated on the report of its preliminary complaints Assessment Committee and decided to empanel eight Committees to investigate eight (8) Judicial Officers from amongst the 35 petitions written against 37 Judges of the Federal and State High Courts.”
The judges to be investigated were not named and their offences were not disclosed.
Meanwhile, other “petitions were summarily dismissed for obvious and manifest lack of merit, being sub-judice, concerning administrative matters, or that such petitions were matters for appeal.”
The dismissed petitions were against Hon. Justice Adamu Abdu-kafarati, the immediate past Chief Judge of the Federal High Court; Hon. Justices Anduwi Chikere; H. I. O. Oshoma, and Ayo Emmanuel all of the Federal High Court.
Others were against Hon. Justice J. D. Peters, National Industrial Court of Nigeria; Hon. Justice S. E. Aladetoyinbo (Rtd), of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke (Rtd), Chief Judge of Lagos State; Hon. Justices K. A. Jose; S. S. Ogunsanya; T. A. Oyekan-Abdullahi; O. O. Femi-Adeniyi, and D. T. Okuwobi, all of the Lagos State High Court of Justice.
Others also included Hon. Justice Mojisola Idayat Sule, Oyo State High Court; Hon. Justices R. D. Harriman; A. O. Omamogbo; Michael Nduka Obi, High Court of Justice, Delta State; Hon. Justice E. N. Thompson, River State High Court; Hon. Justice Inaikende Eradiri, High Court, Bayelsa State; Hon. Justices N. B. Ukoha and B. C. Iheka of High Court of Justice, Imo State; Hon. Justices F. I. N. Ngwu; R. O. Odugu, Enugu State High Court; Hon. Justice Abdulkadir H. Suleiman, Bauchi State High Court, and Hon. Justice Garba Abdulkadir of the Katsina State High Court of Justice.”
It said following the recommendation of two committees earlier set-up to investigate Hon. Justice Winifred I. A. Effiong of Akwa-Ibom State High Court of Justice and Hon. Justice Bello Aliyu Gusau of High of Justice, Zamfara State, petitions against them were also dismissed, they were “absolved of any judicial misconduct.”
The council said it considered the list of candidates presented by its interview committee and resolved to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Governors of Edo, Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi, Anambra, Taraba, Abia, Osun, Nasarawa and Jigawa States, 22 successful candidates for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court, Heads of Courts and other Judicial Officers in Nigeria.
The four appointed to the Supreme Court are Hon. Justice Adamu Jauro, (North-East Zone)
Hon. Justice Emmanuel A. Agim, (South-South Zone) Hon. Justice C. Oseji, (South-South Zone) and Hon. Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju, (South-West Zone)
The acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Tsoho John Terhemba, was recommended for confirmation.
All the appointed Judges are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the President and their respective State Governors and or confirmation by the Senate and State Houses of Assembly, the statement said.
