NJC sets up probe panels against 4 judges, identifies 215 underperforming others

The National Judicial Council (NJC) says it has set up panels to probe four judges for misconduct and identified 215 underperforming judges nationwide.

The council also placed five judges “on its pre-sanction Watch List register for poor performance.”

The watchlisted judges would “be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance,” a statement from the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, said on Friday.

The statement did not provide details about the judges accused of misconduct and underperformance or the specific issues raised against them.

However, the statement said NJC took the decisions, among others, during its 106th meeting held on Wednesday and Thursday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported on Thursday that, during the meeting, the NJC also recommended 28 candidates for various judicial appointments.

One of the candidates, a Supreme Court justice, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, was recommended to President Bola Tinubu for appointment as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to replace Olukayode Ariwoola, who retires on 22 August.

Misconduct, underperformance

On its review of a report of its Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of record, the council “resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, No submission, and non-performance to 215 Judges all over the federation.”

The council, at its meeting, which Mr Ariwoola presided over as chair, also reviewed the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee.

The statement said the council reviewed 22 petitions “written against 27 judicial officers of the federal and state High Courts “and decided to empanel four (4) committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.

The remaining 18 petitions were “discounteanced for lacking of merit, abandoned, or being subjudice,” the statement said.

Judge receives formal advice over letter written to CJN

The NJC also wrote to an Oyo State High Court judge, O. M. Olagunju, to advise him over his alleged uncouth language in a letter he sent to the CJN.

According to Mr Oye, the council advised him to “be circumspect as a Judicial Officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.”

The statement said the council invited the judge to appear to defend his uncouth language “in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision viz-a-viz its Policy Direction on Appointment of President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.”

Read the full statement, including the list of 18 judges freed from probe over petitions written against them.

The judges include the President of the Court of Appeal, Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho.

NJC Empanels four (4) Committees to investigate Judicial Officers

• Issues letter of advice to a Judge

The National Judicial Council presided over by the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its 106th Meeting of 14 & 15 August 2024, resolved to issue a letter of advise to Hon. Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to be circumspect as a Judicial Officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.

The resolution was made after Council considered the report of the Committee it set up, and mandated it to invite the Hon. Judge to appear before it to defend his uncouch language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision viz-a-viz its Policy Direction on Appointment of President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.

Council at the Meeting considered the Report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel four (4) Committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.

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The remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lacking of merit, abandoned, or being subjudice.

The discountenanced petitions are against Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, CFR, 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 J. T. Tsoho, OFR, Chief Judge Federal High Court, Hon. Justices Z. B. Abubakar, J. K. Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court, 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.

Petitions written against Justices Ayodele Oyeyemi Oyebisi, Amaobi L. Agara, Amina Garba, Bello M. Tukur, Omeka Elekwa and O. A. Adetujoye who served at Asaba and Plateau National and State Assembly Election Tribunal Panels.

Council also considered the Report of its Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of record and resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, No submission, and non-performance to 215 Judges all over the Federation.

It also placed five Judges on its pre-sanction Watch List register for poor performance. They would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance.

Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, in the meeting being the last one before his retirement, appreciated the cooperation he received from Members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend same to his successor.

Members of the Council also eulogized the outgoing CJN and Chairman one after the other and wished him good health in retirement.

Soji Oye, Esq.

Director, Information