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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The National Judicial Council has set up a Special Investigation Committee to investigatee three Judges of the High Court who issued conflicting exparte orders on the same subject matter.
Already, the affected judicial officers who are of the court of coordinate jurisdiction, have been directed to appear before the investigating panel to show cause why they will not be punish for such misconduct.
Meanwhile, the NJC has issued a warning letter to Justice Sobere Biambo of the High Court of Rivers State for descending into the arena of a matrimonial conflict in suit marked OHC/IMC/2018.
Another Judge of the Cross Rivers state judiciary, Justice Elias O. Abua, was lucky as he was only adviced to in the future be wary of granting an order staying the execution of judgment which appeared executory in nature as the one he granted in suit No: HC/MSC/67/2019.
The decisions were taken at the end of the 95th meeting of the NJC under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad Ibrahim.
Also at the meetings which were held on Wednesday and Thursday, Council further resolved to set up a Medical Board to ascertain the health status of Justice Amina Yaroson of the Kaduna state Customary Court of Appeal.
NJC, is statutory saddled with powers to discipline judicial officers.
A statement issued on Friday by NJC Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye, explained that the probe panel was constituted in line with the principles of fair hearing.
Names of the three Judges and areas of jurisdiction were however not disclosed in the statement.
The statement read in parts, “Council resolved to set up a Medical Board in order to kascertain the health status of Hon. Justice Amina Yaroson of Kaduna State Customary Court of Appeal.
“Council also considered the reports of its Investigation Committee and decided to issue a warning letter to Hon. Justice Sobere Biambo of High Court of Rivers State for descending into the Arena of conflict in a matrimonial Suit No: OHC/IMC/2018.
“Council at its plenary considered the reports of the two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees (PCAC) on the petitions written against 18 Judicial Officers and on the recommendation of the Committee.
“In the end, NJC issued a letter of advice to Hon. Justice Elias O. Abua of Cross River State High Court to in future be wary of granting an order staying the execution of judgment which appeared executory in nature as the one he granted in Suit No. HC/MSC/67/2019.
“Council, however, dismissed the petitions written against Hon. Justices Inyang Eden Ekwo and Ayo-Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Justices O. O. Ogunjobi, S. B. A. Candide-Johnson and S. A. Onigbanjo of High Court of Lagos State, Hon. Justices Chiwendu Nwogu, S. C. Amadi and A. U. Kingsley Chuku, for either lacking in merit, subjudice or statute barred.
“Other petitions dismissed for the same reasons were those written against Hon. Justice I. K. Banu, Chief Judge, of Adamawa, Hon. Justice A. L. Lagre, President, Customary Court of Appeal, Adamawa, Justice Felibus B. Andetur, Chief Judge, Taraba State and Hon. Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi of Ondo State, High Court,
“The rest are those against Hon. Justice Nse Emeka Daniel of Akwa-Ibom State High Court and Justice H. T. D. Gwadah of Kaduna State High Court.
“The NJC, however, decided not to consider the petition written against Hon. Justice Ishaq Usman Bello as he had already retired from service.
“The plenary of the Council also considered the report of the Interview Committee and agreed to recommend 12 candidates as Heads of Court, 18 candidates as High Court Judges, 6 candidates as Kadis of Sharia Courts of Appeal and one candidate as Customary Court of Appeal Judge.
“The Notifications of retirement of 22 Judges of the Federal and State High Courts and Notifications of death of three Judges of States were also considered by the NJC plenary,” the statement said.
