The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended Justice G. C Aguma of the High Court of Rivers State and Justice A.O Nwabunike of the Anambra State High Court from performing judicial functions.
The two judicial officers were suspended without pay for one year and placed on a watch list for two years thereafter.
Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the NJC Deputy Director (Information), said in a statement on Friday that the decision was taken at the 107th Meeting of the NJC, which was chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, on November 13 and 14, 2024.
The NJC also sanctioned 5 serving Judicial Officers for various acts of misconduct
The Council further recommended two Heads of Court, the Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka and the Grand Kadi of Yobe State, Kadi Babagana Mahdi, for compulsory retirement over age falsification.
The Council equally considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee, which reviewed 30 petitions and raised 6 committees for further investigation. While 22 were dismissed for lacking in merit, two were sub judice.
The Council also raised a committee to investigate all complaints and petitions against Hon. Justice O. A. Ojo, Chief Judge, Osun State.
The Council’s investigations revealed that Justice Aguma committed acts of misconduct by aiding a litigant who obtained a judgment at the FCT High Court, Abuja, and filed a garnishee against judgment debtors in the Bori Division of the High Court, Rivers State.
According to the council, the investigation further revealed that he failed to raise any query as to why the garnishee proceedings were brought to his Court in Bori for a judgment that could effectively be enforced in Abuja. The judgment was delivered on 15 July 2020, at the High Court of the FCT, while the certificate of judgment was registered at Bori Division of the High Court of Rivers State on 16 July 2020.
The Council further finds that the speed with which Justice Aguma took and granted the order absolute against the judgment debtors showed that he had an interest, especially as he failed to take into consideration the stay of execution of the judgment granted in favour of the judgment debtors by the Bwari High Court, which had been brought to his attention.
On the part of Justice Nwabunike of Anambra State, the Council found him to have breached the provision of Rule 3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2016.
He also failed to adhere to the principle of stare decisis from his different interpretation of the word “aspirant” and abused his judicial powers by granting ex parte orders without a Motion on Notice filed along with the Originating Summons
The dismissed petitions include four against Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, related to Rivers State, a Petition against the Court of Appeal and another petition against Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Also, the council dismissed petitions against Justice Comfort C. Ani of the Enugu State High Court, Justice Kabir Dabo and Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam for being unmeritorious.
The petitions against Justice Peter C. Obiora, and Justice I. S. Yerima, Chief Judge, Oyo State, were discontinued by the petitioners.
Furthermore, at the meeting, the Council recommended thirty-six (36) candidates for judicial appointment to their various State Governors.
Those recommended for appointment are as follows:
Eight (8) Judges, High Court, Oyo state
- Opayinka, Adeniyi Gabriel
- Oyediran, Oloyede Semiu
- Oladejo, Olusoji Moses
- Ademola-Salami, Oluwaseun Toluwanimi
- Adesina, Jimoh Adam
- Adekunle, Yemi Saubana
- Adepoju, Olutola Jolade Adenike
- Muraina, Olayemi Rasaq
Four (4) Judges, High Court, Kebbi state:
- Muhammad, Kwaido Hassan
- Ibrahim, Umar Halima
- Jagwadeji, Suru Lauratu
- Muhammad, Nuruddeen
Seven (7) Judges, High Court, Sokoto state:
- Haruna, Dogondaji Mariya
- Sahabi, Jaredi Hadiza
- Ahmad, Sha’aibu
- Hassan, Fatima
- Mohammed, Sa’idu Fatima
- Muhammad, Nura Bello
- Moyi, Abubakar
Six (6) Judges, High Court, Akwa Ibom state
- Ekanem, James Bassey
- Umohandi, Mfon Winifred
- Essien, Bassey Iwakaowo
- Morrison, Henry Comfort
- Ntekim, Edet Ekpo
- Eddie, Julius Sharon
Seven (7) Kadis, Sharia Court Of Appeal, Sokoto state
- Muhammad, Abdulazeez Yar’Abba
- Lawal, Isa Abubakar
- Bello, Sokoto Ibrahim
- Imam, Abubakar Bello
- Muhammad, Abibu Lawal
- Ibrahim, Bodinga Umar
- Kabiru, Marnona Umar
Two (2) kadis, Sharia Court Of Appeal, Kebbi state
- Aliyu, Kabir, SAN
- Bello, Muhammad Atiku
Two (2) Judges, Customary Court Of Appeal, Oyo state
- Ojekunle, Ojeyemi Ademola
- Oyediran, Safiya Amope