NJC Suspends Three Judges for One Year, Including Rivers Judge, Over Misconduct

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay over various acts of misconduct, including unlawful detention, abuse of judicial powers and violations of due process.

The Council also restricted two of the suspended officers from elevation for three years and approved warning letters and cautions for other judicial officers over their handling of court cases.

The decisions were reached at the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. They were announced in a statement issued by the Council’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe.

The suspended 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 over the detention of a litigant for 58 days without proper contempt proceedings. The Council found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest over alleged disobedience of court orders without issuing and serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49. It also held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not lawfully be handled through summary proceedings.

Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. The investigation found that he exceeded his authority by setting up a committee to review the judgment and assigning the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment. The NJC said the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment and violated judicial conduct rules.

Justice Biambo was suspended for issuing bench warrants and imposing fines on litigants in a civil dispute without following the required legal procedures. The Council found that he ordered the arrest of petitioners over alleged disobedience of an interim injunction and fined each of them ₦300,000 without instituting contempt proceedings or serving the required Forms 48 and 49. He was also barred from elevation for three years.

The NJC separately cautioned Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc. The Council found that he granted a fresh ex parte application after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out, while other applications were still pending.

Other judicial officers affected by the disciplinary decisions include Justice Bello Kawu, who was directed to receive a warning letter and placed on the Council’s Watch List after granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, despite an existing remand order issued by another judge.

Justices Danjuma A. Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana of the Nasarawa State High Court were also directed to receive warning letters for delivering judgment in an appeal outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period. The Council said their explanations for the delay were unsatisfactory.

Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court was cautioned and placed on the Watch List for making orders after being informed that an appeal had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.

The Council also cautioned Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for stay of proceedings. Justice Chibuike L. Azuama of the Imo State High Court was cautioned and placed on the Watch List after granting an ex parte garnishee order that froze the bank accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit.

Beyond the disciplinary cases, the NJC considered 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees. It dismissed 24 for lack of merit, recommended four for further investigation and placed one petition in abeyance because the matter was before a court.

The Council 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.

The decisions form part of the Council’s efforts to address complaints against judicial officers and uphold professional standards within Nigeria’s judiciary.