NJC Suspends 3 High Court Judges, Places Others On Watchlist

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has slammed one year suspension without pay on three Judges of the High Court in the country for various acts of judicial misconduct.

The affected judges are Hon. Justice Jane Inyang of the Court of Appeal, Uyo Division, Hon. Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division and Hon. Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Zamfara Division.

The Court of Appeal Justice was suspended for one year without pay having been found of breaching Rule 3 (5) of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

Specifically, Justice Jane Inyang was found to have abused his office by issuing inappropriate ex-parte orders in a case for the sale of Hon. Udeme Esset’s petrol station and other businesses at interlocutory stage of the case.

The act of judicial misconduct was said to have occurred while he presided over Suit No. FHC/UY/CS/46/2023, at the Federal High Court, Uyo Judicial Division, before his elevation to Court of Appeal.

However, Justice Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, was also placed on suspension for one year without pay.

The judge was also placed on Watch-List for five years and also barred from elevation to higher court for five years.

The complaints against Justice Ekwo arose from Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021, wherein His Lordship delivered a ruling in a pending application without hearing the parties.

He was also found to have ignored an application to set aside the proceedings of the Court conducted in the absence of the parties and proceeded to deliver a ruling in the case, an action which ran foul of Rule 3.1 and 3.3 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Similarly, Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Zamfara Division was also suspended for a period of one year without pay for judicial misconduct in breach of Rule 3 (1) and 5 of the 2016 Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

The Council also placed His Lordship on the Watch-List for three years within which period he is barred from elevation.

Hon. Justice Baffa was found liable for act of judicial misconduct in Suit No. FHC/GS/CS/30/2021, the Government of Zamfara State vs EFCC, wherein His Lordship granted an order restraining security agencies from carrying out their statutory duties and disregarded the doctrine of stare decisis in adjudication of the case.

Meanwhile, the Council has issued a letter of caution to Hon. Justice A. O. Awogboro of Federal High Court, Lagos Division in a petition filed by one Kasali Azeez Olagoke and S. Hamza in Suit No. FHC/CS/2021 between Chief Adesanya Musediku against Assistant General of Police, Onikan, Zone 2.

The petition against Hon. Justice Othman A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory was put in abeyance pending the outcome of the decision of the Court of Appeal arising from Suit No. FCT/HS/BW/2274/15.

The petition against Hon. Justice C. N. Mbonu Nwenyi of the High Court of Anambra State by one Prof. Paul C. Obianaso was discountenanced after investigation revealed that there was no misconduct on the part of His Lordship.

Another petition against Hon. Justice I. E. Ekwo in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/321/2015 was put in abeyance pending the outcome of appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The Council also discountenanced a petition by Mrs Adaku Amadi against Hon. Justice R. B. Haastrup of the National Industrial Court, as the Petitioner withdrew her complaints.

The Council equally considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee, which contained a total number of 43 petitions.

Meanwhile, the Council has empanelled nine Committees to investigate pending complaints against 27 Judicial Officers for alleged acts of judicial misconduct while twenty-nine (29) petitions were dismissed for lacking in merit.

Three other petitions against Hon. Justice Abubakar Babashani of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory; Hon. Justice Isaac Essien of the National Industrial Court; and Hon. Justice A. O. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory by Henry Chinweike Okoro; Ikemefuna Stephen Nwoye, Esq.; and Lassborn Chichebem Orjiugo, respectively, were put in abeyance pending the decisions of the Court of Appeal.

The Council also considered a petition by one Mahmud Aliyu against the appointment of three Judges to the High Court of Zamfara State.

The Petitioner complained that the exercise conducted in 2022 by the Zamfara State Judicial Service Commission which led to the emergence of shortlisted candidates was not transparent and was characterized by nepotism, high handedness and non-compliance with Rules 4, 5 and 6 of the NJC guidelines for the appointment of Judicial Officers 2014.

NJC, in its statement, said “That the nominees were unilaterally picked by the Chairman of the Zamfara State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in disregard to the NJC guidelines on merit-based assessment.

“Council, however, deliberated on its Committee’s findings on the petition and resolved that the Petitioner was an interested party who had indicated interest but was not selected as a candidate.

“Council noted that the Petitioner’s allegations were unsubstantiated and substantially based on falsehood.

“It therefore, resolved that the Petitioner who was a candidate for judicial appointment and intentionally peddled falsehood against another aspiring Judicial Officer will be barred from participation in any future exercise,” it added.

In a petition to probe the recruitment exercise for the appointment of six (6) Federal High Court Judges in 2021 by one Abdullahi Liman, the Council noted that the petition violated Section 11 (1) of the Judicial Discipline Regulations which stipulated that a complaint must be filed within six (6) months of the occurrence of the event or matter complained of, whereas the Petitioner filed his complaints on the 22nd day of January, 2025.

It also resolved that a petition on the unconstitutional composition of Oyo State Judicial Service Commission written by Monday Adjeh has been overtaken by events.

The Council also accepted the voluntary retirement of Hon. Justice Babatunde Ahmed Ademola Bakre and approved the notification of change of name of Hon. Justice I. A. Osayande to Hon. Justice I. A. Dika of the Edo State High Court.

The council at the meeting, finally resolved that henceforth, the names of candidates being considered for appointment as Judicial Officers to Superior Courts of Records will be published for information and comments by the public.