Twenty-seven High Court judges have been billed by the National Judicial Council to face panels over allegations of judicial misconduct.
In a statement released on Friday, August 16, the director of information at the NJC, Soji Oye, said 18 other petitions have been either discountenced for lack of merit, abandoned or being in subjudice.
Oye noted that the NJC at its 106th meeting presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts.
He said that findings from the preliminary committee showed that the NJC panelled four committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.
Oye said the council also issued a letter of advice to Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to be circumspect as a judicial officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
However, Olagunju was said to have used uncouth language in a letter addressed to the CJN challenging the NJC’s decision and its policy direction on the appointment of the President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.
According to Oye the discountenanced petitions are against Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President Court of Appeal, 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 Justices John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Z. B. Abubakar, James. Kolawole Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu, all of the FHC and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court.
The rest are Justices Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
Oye also stated that the council had placed five other Judges on its pre-sanction Watch List register.
According to him, the five judges have been accused of performing poorly and would be directed for sanctioning by the council if their performance does not improve.
