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By Our Correspondent 

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

The Council also barred the affected officers from consideration for elevation for three years and issued warnings and cautions to eight other judicial officers following investigations into petitions bordering on their conduct and handling of cases.

The decisions were taken at the NJC’s 112th meeting, held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

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 for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of a court order without initiating the proper contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49.

The Council held that her action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing and consequently suspended her for one year without pay, while also barring her from nomination for elevation for three years.

Similarly, Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for exceeding his judicial authority by reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.

The NJC investigation found that he constituted a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigned the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment.

The Council held that the procedure amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment delivered by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Justice Biambo was also suspended for ordering the arrest of litigants and imposing fines of N300,000 each in a civil dispute without following the prescribed contempt proceedings or serving the required forms.

Both Grand Kadi Salihu and Justice Biambo were equally barred from elevation for three years.

The NJC also cautioned Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings in a suit involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

The Council found that Justice Agunloye granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out, while other pending applications, including an application for stay of execution, were yet to be heard.

In another disciplinary decision, Justice Bello Kawu was cautioned for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, despite an existing remand order issued by another judge.

Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana also received warning letters for delivering judgments in an appeal outside the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.

Other judicial officers cautioned or placed on the Council’s Watch List include Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court, who was faulted for making orders after being informed that an appeal had been entered at the Court of Appeal.

Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was similarly cautioned for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for stay of proceedings.

The Council also faulted Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court for granting an ex parte garnishee order freezing the accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit.

Meanwhile, the NJC considered 35 petitions from its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, dismissing 24 for lack of merit, recommending four for further investigation and placing one in abeyance because the matter was sub judice.

It 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.

Beyond its disciplinary decisions, the Council recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across several states.

The recommendations include 24 judges for the High Courts of Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun States, a Grand Kadi for the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, a Kadi for the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and two judges for the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

The Council further directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in the shortlist for appointment as substantive Chief Judge, following a petition challenging her exclusion.

The NJC also approved retirement notifications for six judicial officers, including two Justices of the Supreme Court, and expressed condolences over the deaths of nine judicial officers between May and September 2026.