National Judicial Council (NCJ) has revealed that twenty-seven (27) high court judges will face a panel over various allegations of judicial misconduct brought against them.
Gatekeepers News reports that the constitutional body noted that it has constituted four probe panels to investigate the judges.
Also, it 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.
According to reports; Justice Olagunju used uncouth language in a letter addressed to Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging the Council’s decision and its Policy Direction on appointment of President Court of Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.
NJC during its 106th meeting presided over by 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 Federal and State High Courts.
Based on the report of preliminary committee, the Council set up four committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.
NJC Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, in a statement released on Friday in Abuja, however, said that the remaining eighteen (18 ) petitions were discountenanced for lacking in merit, abandoned, or being subjudice.
The petitions were written against Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President Court of Appeal, and 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 Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge, Federal High Court, and 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 Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
In addition, NJC placed five judges on its pre-sanction watchlist register for poor performance and would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance.
