The National Judicial Council (NJC), at its plenary of the 105th meeting, resolved to issue warning letters to three judges and barred them from elevation to a higher bench for a period of time.

The NJC, in a statement on Friday by its spokesperson Soji Oye, said the judges who will receive the warning letters are Justices Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of the Delta State High Court, and Amina Shehu of the Yobe High Court.

Mr Ekwo was warned for abusing his discretionary power as a judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023, Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors v. Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors. He was also barred from being elevated to a higher bench for two years.

Mr Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court was issued a warning for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor vs Skye Bank, Suit No. A/94/2010, after the parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses. He will also not be elevated to a higher bench for three years.

The council also cautioned Justice Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court for issuing a writ of possession conferring title on the defendant in suit no. YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when no subsisting judgement of any court enabled his lordship to issue the writ.

The NJC said the council, at the meeting, considered two reports of its two preliminary complaint assessment committees that filtered 35 petitions written against judges of the federal and state high courts and decided to empanel eight committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the committees.

It said some petitions against various judges were dismissed for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.

The dismissed petitions were against Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, and D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court; S. B. Belgore and Bello Kawu, both of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Justices O. A. Chijioke, A. E. Akeredolu and Kadi M. U. El-Mainari, who sat on the election petition tribunal in Edo State; and Justices Paulinus Aneke of the High Court of Enugu State; and C. Anya of Abia State.

Others are Justices M. A. Ikpambese and W. I. Kpochi, both of Benue High Court; T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka Chief Judge; B. C. Iheka of Imo High Court; Rose Godwin Soji of Nasarawa High Court; T. J. Yakubu, High Court Taraba; W. N. Danagogo and Chinwendu Nworgu, High Court Rivers State; C. C. Okaa, High Court Anambra State; and Hon Justice Abdullahi Sulyman High Court, Kogi.

It said the council also deliberated on the notification of the retirements of three judicial officers, including Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the notification of the deaths of three judges of the federal and state courts.

Council also considered the recommendation of its Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria and resolved to recommend 86 judicial officers for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal of States in Nigeria.

There are 22 Justices of the Court of Appeal. The justices are Kwahar Polycarp Terna, Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola, Eleojo Eneche, Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf, Abdullahi Muhammad Liman, Abdu Dogo, Fadawu Umaru, Ishaq Mohammed Sani, Zainab Bage Abubakar, Abdulazeez M. Anka and Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba.

Others are Justices Nwoye Tochukwu, Nwabunkeonye Onwosi, Okorowe Uwaezuok, Ngozika Okaisabor, Ntong Festus Ntong, Nehizena Afolabi, Nyesom-Wike Suzzette, Babajide Lawal-Akapo, Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem, Oyewumi Oyebiola, and Olukayode Adeniyi.

The 12 judges for High Court, FCT, are Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo, Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi, Anumaenwe Godwin Iheabunike, Odo Celestine Obinna, and Hauwa Lawal Gummi.

Others are Abdurahman Usman, Buetnaan Mandy Bassi, Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh, Maryan Iye Yusuf, Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria, Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike and Munirat Ibrahim Tanko.

Seven judges for Imo State High Court are Akowundu Cletus Ndubuisi, Uchenna Mary Njoku, Chibuogwu Ojiugo Chukwumaeze, Ononogbo Chidi Linus, Adaego Peace Nosiri, Emeka Ozoma Orafu, and Mathew Chinedu Ijezie.

Six judges for Bauchi State High Court are Amin Umar Ilelah, Aliyu Bin Idris, Ahmed Shuaibu Ningi, Shafa’u Ladan Yusuf, Abdussalam Idris Waziri and Kawu A. Yerima.

The three justices for Taraba State High Court are Hamidu Audu, Bibonga Jeniffer Nauma, and Joel Daniel Ubandoma.

The thirteen judges for Lagos State High Court are

Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru, Azeez Fimisola Augusta, Alebiosu Olawale Lawal, Adewale Russel Musiliu, Popoola Oluwatosin Ajose, Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed and Muyideen Abdul-Raheem Tejumade.

Others are George Alfred Akingbola, Balogun Adegboyega Ganiu, Shonubi Adenike Kudirat, Badejo-Okusanya Yewande Jokotola, Layinka Oyeladun Amope and Ojuromi Nalirat Olayinka Oluwatosin.

The four Kogi State High Court judges are Ajesola Joseph Sunday, Ojoma Rachael Haruna, Kadiri Badama, and Ezema Beatrice Ada.

Two Jigawa State High Court judges are Mohammad El-Usman and Nilfa Abdullahi Gambo.

The five Kadis for the Sharia Court of Appeal Bauchi State are Ishaku Magaji, Abdurrahman Hassan Sabo, Bello Mohammed Sambowal, Muhyiddeen Mohammed, and Mahmoud Idris Shehu Tiyin.

Five Kadis for the Sharia Court of Appeal, Kogi State, are Muhammad Muhammad Bello, Okino Isah Saidu, Yakubu Adavenge Abbas, Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu and Idris Alhaji Abdullahi.

One Kadi for the Sharia Court of Appeal Jigawa is Mukhtar Adam.

The Imo State Customary Court of Appeal judges are Everyman Ezenna Eleanya, Ofoha Sylvesta Uchenna and Ibeh Rosemond Oluchi.

Two judges for the Customary Court of Appeal in Taraba are Esther Tata and Benjamin Samuila Bawage.

One judge for the Customary Court of Kogi State is Maryann Oziohu Otaru.

The NJC, however, added that the recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after the NJC recommendations to the president and their respective state governors are approved.

(NAN)