The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay and cautioned eight others over various acts of misconduct, including unlawful detention, abuse of judicial powers and disregard for due process.
The disciplinary decisions were taken at the Council’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Channels Television reported that the NJC also approved warning letters for three judges following investigations into petitions concerning their handling of cases.
Three Judicial Officers Suspended
The suspended judicial 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 sanctioned for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of a court order without initiating proper contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49.
The Council held that her actions violated the litigant’s right to a fair hearing. It also barred her from nomination for elevation for three years.
Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for exceeding his judicial authority by reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.
According to the investigation, he constituted a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigned the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment.
The NJC ruled that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction.
Justice Biambo was sanctioned for ordering the arrest of litigants and imposing fines of ₦300,000 each in a civil dispute without proper contempt proceedings or service of the prescribed forms.
Both Grand Kadi Salihu and Justice Biambo were also barred from elevation for three years.
Other Judges Face Disciplinary Measures
The Council cautioned Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings in a case involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The NJC found that he granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out.
The decision was made while other pending applications, including a request for a stay of execution, were awaiting hearing.
In another disciplinary decision, Justice Bello Kawu was cautioned for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, despite an existing remand order issued by another judge.
Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana also received warning letters for delivering judgments in appeals outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.
NJC Places More Judges Under Scrutiny
Other judicial officers cautioned or placed on the Council’s Watch List include Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court.
He was sanctioned for making orders after being informed that an appeal had been entered at the Court of Appeal.
Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was also cautioned for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay.
Meanwhile, Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court was sanctioned for granting an ex parte garnishee order freezing the accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit.
NJC Reviews 35 Petitions
The Council considered 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees.
It dismissed 24 petitions for lack of merit, recommended four for further investigation and placed one in abeyance because the matter was sub judice.
The NJC also directed that investigations should continue into a petition against Justice G. N. Ugbala of the Ebonyi State High Court, despite the petitioner’s notice of withdrawal.
Council Recommends 28 Judicial Appointments
Beyond disciplinary matters, the NJC recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across several states.
The recommendations include 24 judges for the High Courts of Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun States.
The Council also recommended a Grand Kadi for the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, a Kadi for the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and two judges for the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.
Additionally, it directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include Acting Chief Judge Justice Ijeoma Agugua in the shortlist for appointment as substantive Chief Judge, following a petition challenging her exclusion.
The NJC also approved the retirement notifications of six judicial officers, including two Supreme Court justices, and expressed condolences over the deaths of nine judicial officers between May and September 2026.
