BREAKING: NJC recommends 28 for judicial appointments, suspends three judges

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 28 candidates for appointment into various judicial offices across the country, suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay and issued warning letters to three others over misconduct and breaches of judicial procedures.

The Council also cautioned eight judicial officers, directing that some of them be placed on its Watch List, following the consideration of petitions and investigation reports at its 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026.

The meeting was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun.

Of the 28 candidates recommended for appointment, 24 were shortlisted for positions as judges of the High Courts of Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states.

The remaining four comprise one candidate for appointment as Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, one Kadi for the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and two judges for the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

The candidates have been recommended to their respective state governors for appointment and are expected to be sworn in without delay.

In another significant decision, the Council directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to include the name of the state’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in the list of candidates to be interviewed for appointment as substantive Chief Judge.

The directive followed consideration of a petition dated June 11, 2026, by Mr Bob Kay Njemanze, who challenged Justice Agugua’s exclusion from the shortlist submitted by the commission.

The Council held that although the State Judicial Service Commission has the constitutional responsibility to advise it on suitable candidates for appointment as Chief Judge, the NJC retains the authority to determine the suitability of candidates presented to it.

It consequently directed its Secretariat to formally request the Imo JSC to include Justice Agugua, the most senior judge of the state’s High Court, in the shortlist.

Three judges suspended for one year

On disciplinary matters, the Council approved the suspension of three judicial officers for one year without pay following investigations into allegations of judicial misconduct and abuse of judicial powers.

The affected officers are 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 suspended for unlawfully detaining a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of court orders without complying with the mandatory contempt procedures.

The investigation found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention without issuing and serving Forms 48 and 49 or instituting proper contempt proceedings.

It held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not lawfully be tried and punished summarily. The Committee also found that the action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing.

In addition to the suspension, the Council barred Justice Kabir from being nominated 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 an FCT Upper Area Court.

The investigation found that he 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.

It also found that his conduct violated Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.

The Council directed the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal to perform the functions of the office of Grand Kadi throughout the suspension period.

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

The investigation 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.

The Committee held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and ought not to have been summarily tried and punished.

Eight judges cautioned, placed on Watch List

The Council also approved the issuance of warning letters and cautions to judicial officers found to have breached established judicial procedures.

Among those affected was Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, who was cautioned over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings in a suit involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

The investigation found that he improperly entertained and granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi on October 22, 2025, after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out.

This was despite the pendency of other applications, including the bank’s application for stay of execution, which had been adjourned to November 4, 2025.

The Committee held that his action created room for justifiable suspicion.

The Council also found merit in a petition against Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court over his grant of interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, despite a subsisting remand order issued by another judge of the same court.

The investigation found that Justice Kawu was aware 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 the subsisting order.

The Council consequently directed that he be issued a warning letter and placed on its Watch List.

Similarly, Justices Danjuma A. Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana of the Nasarawa State High Court were directed to be issued warning letters for delivering judgment in an appeal outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.

The investigation rejected their argument 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.

The Council adopted the report and advised both judges to exercise greater diligence in managing their cases.

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

The Committee held that his action amounted to disregard for the appellate court and bordered on insubordination, adding that his defence was untenable.

In another decision, Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was cautioned for allegedly exhibiting judicial impertinence, denying fair hearing and disregarding due process and court hierarchy by continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for stay of proceedings.

The Council advised him to familiarise himself with the law and procedures governing appeals.

Justice Chibuike L. Azuama of the Imo State High Court was also cautioned and placed on the Watch List for granting an ex parte Garnishee Order freezing the bank accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit, thereby causing it substantial losses.

Other petitions

The Council considered nine investigation reports concerning petitions against judicial officers over their handling of cases.

Two petitions against Justice B. M. Balarabe of the Kaduna State High Court and Justice Evelyn N. Anyadike were dismissed following their withdrawal by the petitioners.

A petition against Justice Peter O. Ikujuni of the Ondo State High Court was struck out for having been leaked and published on social media in violation of Paragraphs 2.2.4 and 2.2.8 of the National Judicial Policy, 2016.

Another petition against Justice Abdullahi Mika’ilu of the Niger State High Court was dismissed for want of diligent prosecution.

However, the Council directed that investigation should continue into a petition against Justice G. N. Ugbala of the Ebonyi State High Court despite the petitioner’s notice of withdrawal.

The Council also considered reports on 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees. It dismissed 24 for lack of merit, recommended four for further investigation and placed one petition in abeyance because the subject matter was sub judice.

Six judicial officers retire

The Council also approved the retirement notifications of six judicial officers across the country’s superior courts.

They include Justice Ibrahim Mohammed Musa Saulawa of the Supreme Court, who retired on September 29, 2026; Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji of the Supreme Court, due to retire on November 7, 2026; and Justice O. F. Omoleye of the Court of Appeal, who retired on October 6, 2026.

Others are Justice Ogechi Okehielem of the Abia State High Court, who voluntarily retired on September 15, 2026; Justice Theresa Isidore Obot of the Akwa Ibom State High Court, due to retire voluntarily on December 30, 2026; and Justice Munir Muhammad Ladan of the Kaduna State High Court, whose voluntary retirement takes effect on December 31, 2026.

The Council expressed appreciation to the retiring judicial officers for their dedicated and meritorious service to the Judiciary and the nation.

It also expressed sadness over the deaths of nine judicial officers between May 1 and September 26, 2026, extending condolences to their families, the Judiciary and the Nigerian legal community.

The deceased officers were Justices Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Kano Division; Sambo Sammy Daka of the Kaduna State High Court; Josephine Efunkumbi Oyefeso of the Lagos State High Court; Musa Mohammed Dallah of the Nasarawa State High Court; Bello Muhammed Shinkafi of the Zamfara State High Court; Edem Nyong Okokon of the Cross River State High Court; Kadi Aliyu Mani Yauri of the Kebbi State Sharia Court of Appeal; Justice Dorothy Sim Inwulale of the Kaduna State Customary Court of Appeal; and Justice Legor Torbira Senewo of the Rivers State Customary Court of Appeal.

The Council prayed for the peaceful repose of their souls.