NJC Suspends Three Judges, Cautions Eight Others Over Misconduct

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 of litigants, abuse of judicial powers and disregard for due process.

The Council under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun also approved warning letters to three judges following investigations into petitions bordering on their handling of cases. The decisions were taken at its 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026.

The three 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 suspended 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 also barred her from nomination for elevation for three years, holding that her action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing.

Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended over his involvement in reopening a judgment delivered by the 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 another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment. The process was held to amount to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.

Justice Biambo, on his part, was sanctioned for ordering the arrest of litigants and imposing fines of N300,000 each in a civil dispute without proper contempt proceedings or service of the prescribed forms. Both men were also barred from elevation for three years.

The Council also cautioned Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings in a suit involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

It 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that he granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out, while other pending applications, including an application for stay of execution, were awaiting hearing.

In a separate set of disciplinary decisions, the NJC approved warnings and cautions for other judicial officers, including Justice Bello Kawu, who granted 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 were also issued warning letters for delivering judgment in an appeal outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.

Others cautioned or placed on the Council’s Watch List include Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court 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 for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and application for stay; and Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court for granting an ex parte garnishee order freezing the accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit. The NJC also considered 35 petitions from its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, dismissing 24 for lack of merit, recommending four for further investigation and placing one in abeyance because it was sub judice.

It further 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.

Meanwhile, the Council recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across several states, including 24 judges for the High Courts of Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun States, 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.

It also directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the 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.