· Council cautions Edo CJ, recommends Mainasara Umar as CCT chair
· Insists Uzodimma must appoint most senior judge as acting CJ
· ‘Benue CJ did no wrong’
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 10 judges of the Imo State Judiciary for compulsory retirement over alleged age falsification.
It also cautioned Edo State Chief Judge Justice Daniel Okungbowa over alleged abuse of judicial discretion.
Also yesterday, the Council recommended to President Bola Tinubu the appointment of a lawyer, Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
It absolved Benue State Chief Judge Justice M. A. Ikpambese, whose suspension by the state’s House of Assembly was earlier rejected by the council, of any wrong doing.
The Council barred Justice Isaac J. Essien of the National Industrial Court (NIC) from being considered for promotion to a higher court for three years due to misconduct.
These decisions, among others are contained in a statement issued last night by the NJC after its 109th meeting on Wednesday.
The statement, signed by NJC’s acting Director, Information, Mrs. Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe reads:
“The National Judicial Council at its 109th meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, held on 25 June 2025 has recommended two Judges for appointment as Heads of Court for Ekiti and Yobe States, respectively.
“The Heads of Court are: Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, Chief Judge, Ekiti State and Kadi Abba Mammadi as Grand Khadi, Yobe State.
“Similarly, council has also recommended Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar, Esq. to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for appointment as Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“The recommendations followed a careful consideration of various public complaints made against shortlisted candidates for the various positions and a rigorous interview by an 8-member Interview Committee of the council in line with the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers.
“The remaining successful 18 candidates, who were recommended for appointment as judges for different jurisdictions
“They are: Edu Glory Bassey and Irem Melody Bassey for as High Court Judges for Cross River State; Adewole Adejumoke Oluwatoyin, Adebo Oluyemisi Olukemi and Ojikutu Adebayo Julius as High Court Judges in Ogun State; Garba Sirajo Aliyu, Bashir Rabi and Abdullahi, Nasiru as Judges in Zamfara State High Court.
The Khadis for Sharia Court of Appeal, Zamfara State are: Ibrahim Jibril, Muhammed Sanusi Magami and Shaa’ban Mansur and Badamasi Kabir Adam as Khadi for Sharia Court of Appeal in Plateau State; Ogodo Lynda Nneka as Judge for Ebonyi State Customary Court of Appeal; Dikko Fadila Muhammad, Abdulrahman Shamsudden Yammama, Abdullahi Maryham Umaru and Mohammed Abubakar Dikko as High Court Judges in Katsina State.”
The statement further reads: “It would be recalled that the Council had at its 108th Meeting held on 29 and 30 April 2025, approved a new policy to publish the names of candidates for consideration for appointment as judicial officers and invited public input.
“A flurry of 86 public comments and complaints were received by the council and 73 of them were favourable, representing 85%, while 13 were adverse (representing 15 per cent).
“However, out of the 13 complaints, five had no accompanying verifying affidavits in breach of the publication guidelines and were not considered.
“In view of the council’s resolution, at its 27th emergency meeting held on 3 February 2025, relating to the appointment of the Chief Judge, Ekiti State, Council did not consider the three complaints relating thereto.
“Five complaints were considered against the appointment relating to the High Courts of Plateau and Kano states and the Sharia Courts of Appeal of Zamfara and Katsina states.
“Flowing from this, council dismissed four of the complaints, but found merit in one and dropped the affected candidate.
“Meanwhile, the council has approved the voluntary retirement of the following judicial officers: Justice Babatunde Ademola Bakre of the Ogun State High Court and Justice H. O. Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court.
“In the meantime, the council has recommended compulsory retirement of 10 judges of the Imo State Judiciary.
“Nine of the affected judges of the Imo State Judiciary were found to have altered their dates of birth in their official records in order to confer on themselves the undue advantage of staying longer in service.
“The other judicial officer, Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was found to have made himself available to be sworn in as acting Chief Judge of Imo State High Court knowing fully well that he was number four in the hierarchy of Judges of the Imo State Judiciary and contrary to Section 271 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
“The nine judges found to have falsified their records, comprising five High Court Judges and four Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State are: Justice M. E. Nwagboso (High Court); Justice B. C. Iheka (High Court); Justice K. A. Leaweanya (High Court); Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi (High Court); Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi (High Court); Justice Tennyson Nze (Customary Court of Appeal); Justice Ofoha Uchenna (Customary Court of Appeal); Justice Everyman Eleanya (Customary Court of Appeal) and Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal)
“Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was sanctioned for making himself available to be sworn into office as acting Chief Judge of Imo State.
“The President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State, Hon Justice V. U. Okorie, who chaired the Commission that nominated Justice Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge was however absolved, having dissented on record against the recommendation to appoint Justice T. N. Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge.
“Council however reiterated its earlier direction to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to swear in the most senior judge of the state as the acting Chief Judge.
“Council took the decision after consideration of the reports of its investigation committee on allegations of age falsification against eighteen (18) Judges of the Imo state judiciary on the one hand and the queries issued to Justices V. U. Okorie and T. N. Nzeukwu.
“The council however dismissed, for want of merit, similar allegations against three Judges of the State High Court whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy.
“Six High Court judges of the state, whose dates of birth either had discrepancies but with acceptable explanations or with discrepancies arising from genuine correction of their dates of birth to their disadvantage, were also exonerated.
“The Judges whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy are Justice I. O. Agugua (High Court); Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu (High Court) and Justice L. C. Azuama (High Court).
“The two judges given a clean bill of health owing to provision of acceptable explanation for discrepancies in their dates of birth are Justice Vincent I. Onyeka (High Court) and Justice Vivian O. B. Ekezie (High Court).
“Council directed that Hon. Justice Onyeka and Hon. Justice Ekezie must maintain the date of birth supplied by the Council of Legal Education in their official records.
Four other judges absolved on account that they genuinely corrected their dates of birth to their disadvantage are: Justice P. U. Nnodum (High Court); Justice Alma Ngozi Eluwa (High Court); Justice Matthew Chinedu Ijezie (High Court) and Justice Ononogbo Chidi Linus (High Court).
“The council also reiterated its earlier direction to the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, to appoint the most senior judicial officer as the acting Chief Judge of the Imo State High Court.
“Council, in further deliberation, barred a judge of the National Industrial Court, Justice Isaac J. Essien, from being considered for promotion to a Higher Court for three years due to misconduct.
“Council found that Justice Essien wrongly ordered the confiscation of over N1 billion belonging to the Nasarawa State Government and its local government councils, despite being aware that there was a pending appeal and a pending application for stay of execution.
“Council also noted that he refused to step aside from the case after the Nasarawa State Government raised concerns about possible bias.
“Justice Essien was a former staff member of the State University, which owed him gratuity, and he had earlier demanded payment using the official letterhead of the court – a clear breach of Code of Conduct for judicial officers.
“Council further criticised him for personally visiting the Court of Appeal registry to confirm if an appeal had been filed in the case – an action considered highly inappropriate for a Judge.
“His Lordship was found to have violated several rules in the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers and was reprimanded and barred from elevation to a higher judicial office for a period of three years.
“Council also considered the reports of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, which contained a total number of 30 petitions against various judicial officers.
“Four committees were empanelled for further investigation, four judges were cautioned, while 22 petitions were dismissed for lacking in merit.
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“Council cautioned Justice Rahman A. Oshodi, over misuse of judicial discretion in Suit No. ID/232/53C/23.
“Justice Daniel Okungbowa, Chief Judge Edo State was also cautioned over abuse of his judicial discretion in Suit No. B1/555/2020 and was advised to exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously in future.
“Council issued a final warning to Justice G. B. Okolosi of the Delta State High Court for continued flouting Section 294 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and Hon. Justice Sa’adatu I. Mark, Federal High Court received caution for delivering judgment after constitutional 90 days.”
On the petition against Benue State Chief Judge, Justice M. A. Ikpambese
“Council deliberated on the report of the investigation Committee in respect of three petitions by Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Fidelis Bemsen Mnyim, Guana Benjamin Joseph, Esq., and Terhemen Ngbea against Justice M. A. Ikpambese and absolved the Chief Judge from any judicial wrong doings, the petitions having been found to be lacking in merit.
“It noted that all the petitions presented against him were with sole aim to remove him from his position.
“Council was particularly concerned about the role of the Attorney-General of the State, Fidelis Bemsen Mnyim, Esq., in the scheme to remove the Chief Judge and resolved to report him to the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for necessary action.
“Council dismissed petitions against four other Judges – Justice A. M. Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano Division (petition by Abdullahi Baffa Bichi); Justice S. A. Amobeda (petition by Abdullahi Baffa Bichi); Justice Muhammad Auwal Haruna (petition by Abdulrazaq Banaru Abubakar); and Justice Binta Fatima Murtala Nyako (petition by Kabiru S. Chafe)
“The joint petition against Justices A. M. Liman and S. A. Amobeda, and the petition against Justice Muhammad Auwal Haruna were withdrawn and accordingly dismissed.
“Justice Binta Fatima Murtala Nyako was exonerated as the council found no merit in the petition accusing her of delaying judgment and issuing an order on a property while the case was ongoing.
“Further action was suspended in respect of petitions against Justice A. M. Liman by Kenneth Okere (in a different case) and Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court for being sub-judice.
“The Council, however, blacklisted one Peter N. Ekemezie, a serial petitioner from presenting further petitions before it.”
