No fewer than 27 High Court judges are currently being investigated by probe panels set up by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for different allegations.
The Council disclosed on Friday that it has has set up four probe panels to investigate 27 High Court Judges over allegations of judicial misconduct leveled against them.
NJC revealed that the panels were constituted during its 106th meeting presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, after due
consideration of the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts.
According to a statement by the NJC Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, the remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lack of merit, abandoned or being subjudice.
Five Judges were also on NJC’s pre-sanction watch list register for poor performance, and they would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they fail to improve on their performances.
Moreover, NJC issued letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court, cautioning him to be circumspect as a judicial officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
Justice Olagunju was said to have used uncouch language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision and its Policy Direction on appointment of President, Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.
NJC also revealed that the discountenanced petitions
were against Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President Court of Appeal, Hon. Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru and Abdulazeez Waziri all of the Court of Appeal.
Others are Hon. Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Hon. Justices Z. B. Abubakar, James. Kolawole Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court.
The rest are Hon. Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Hon. Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Hon. Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Hon. Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
Ultimately, Justice Ariwoola, who would not be attending such meeting again as he would be bowing out of service soon, appreciated members of the Council and the Council’s secretariat for the cooperation he received from them, imploring them to extend same to his successor.
Members of the Council took return to eulogize the outgoing CJN and Chairman, wishing him good health in retirement.