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The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judges for one year without pay following findings of judicial misconduct, including the unlawful detention of litigants, the improper reopening of concluded cases, and the imposition of fines without due process. The decisions were finalized during the council’s 112th meeting on November 3, 2026, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The suspended officials 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. In addition to their suspensions, Justices Kabir and Biambo were barred from elevation for three years. Justice Kabir was sanctioned for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days without initiating mandatory contempt proceedings or serving the required Forms 48 and 49. The NJC investigation committee determined that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not be summarily punished, noting that the judge’s actions violated the litigant’s right to a fair hearing. Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for exceeding his authority by reviewing a judgment previously delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. The council found that the Grand Kadi improperly constituted a committee to review the case and assigned it to a lower judge, a process the NJC described as an unauthorized appeal against a valid judgment. The council has directed the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal to assume the Grand Kadi’s duties during the suspension. Justice Biambo was suspended for issuing bench warrants and imposing fines of N300,000 on litigants in a civil dispute without due process. The committee found that the judge failed to institute proper contempt proceedings for alleged disobedience of an interim injunction, opting instead for summary punishment. Furthermore, the NJC issued warning letters and cautions to six other judicial officers for various breaches: Justice Bello Kawu (FCT High Court): Cautioned and placed on a watch list for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami despite a subsisting remand order from another judge. Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana (Nasarawa State High Court): Warned for failing to deliver judgments within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period. The council rejected their argument that the constitutional provision did not apply to appellate courts. Justice Mohammed Zubairu (FCT High Court): Cautioned for continuing to hear a case after being informed that an appeal had been entered at the Court of Appeal. Justice C. A. Ogbuagor (Enugu State High Court): Cautioned for disregarding the hierarchy of courts and denying a fair hearing by proceeding despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay of proceedings. Justice Chibuike Azuama (Imo State High Court): Cautioned and placed on a watch list for issuing an ex parte garnishee order against a company that was not a party to the substantive suit. In other developments, the NJC recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, including 24 High Court judge nominees. Additionally, the council directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include Acting Chief Judge Justice Ijeoma Agugua in the shortlist for the substantive Chief Judge position, following a petition regarding her initial exclusion. Article source: The Punch | Image credit: The Punch
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judges for one year without pay following findings of judicial misconduct, including the unlawful detention of litigants, the improper reopening of concluded cases, and the imposition of fines without due process. The decisions were finalized during the council’s 112th meeting on November 3, 2026, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The suspended officials 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. In addition to their suspensions, Justices Kabir and Biambo were barred from elevation for three years. Justice Kabir was sanctioned for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days without initiating mandatory contempt proceedings or serving the required Forms 48 and 49. The NJC investigation committee determined that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not be summarily punished, noting that the judge’s actions violated the litigant’s right to a fair hearing. Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for exceeding his authority by reviewing a judgment previously delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. The council found that the Grand Kadi improperly constituted a committee to review the case and assigned it to a lower judge, a process the NJC described as an unauthorized appeal against a valid judgment. The council has directed the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal to assume the Grand Kadi’s duties during the suspension. Justice Biambo was suspended for issuing bench warrants and imposing fines of N300,000 on litigants in a civil dispute without due process. The committee found that the judge failed to institute proper contempt proceedings for alleged disobedience of an interim injunction, opting instead for summary punishment. Furthermore, the NJC issued warning letters and cautions to six other judicial officers for various breaches: Justice Bello Kawu (FCT High Court): Cautioned and placed on a watch list for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami despite a subsisting remand order from another judge. Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana (Nasarawa State High Court): Warned for failing to deliver judgments within the constitutionally mandated 90-day period. The council rejected their argument that the constitutional provision did not apply to appellate courts. Justice Mohammed Zubairu (FCT High Court): Cautioned for continuing to hear a case after being informed that an appeal had been entered at the Court of Appeal. Justice C. A. Ogbuagor (Enugu State High Court): Cautioned for disregarding the hierarchy of courts and denying a fair hearing by proceeding despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay of proceedings. Justice Chibuike Azuama (Imo State High Court): Cautioned and placed on a watch list for issuing an ex parte garnishee order against a company that was not a party to the substantive suit. In other developments, the NJC recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, including 24 High Court judge nominees. Additionally, the council directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include Acting Chief Judge Justice Ijeoma Agugua in the shortlist for the substantive Chief Judge position, following a petition regarding her initial exclusion.
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