The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three High Court judges in Nigeria for one year without pay over various acts of judicial misconduct.
The affected judicial officers are Justice Jane Inyang of the Court of Appeal (Uyo Division), Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court (Abuja Division), and Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court (Zamfara Division).
Justice Jane Inyang was sanctioned for issuing questionable ex-parte orders during her time as a judge of the Federal High Court, Uyo, particularly in Suit No. FHC/UY/CS/46/2023 involving the sale of Hon. Udeme Esset’s petrol station and businesses at an interlocutory stage—actions that violated Rule 3(5) of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
Justice Ekwo’s suspension was linked to irregularities in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021, where he delivered a ruling without hearing the involved parties and ignored an application to set aside court proceedings conducted in their absence. His actions were in breach of Rules 3.1 and 3.3 of the 2016 Code. In addition to the one-year suspension, he was placed on a five-year watch-list and barred from elevation to a higher court for the same duration.
Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu was suspended for granting an order restraining security agencies from performing their statutory duties in Suit No. FHC/GS/CS/30/2021: Government of Zamfara State vs EFCC. He was also faulted for disregarding judicial precedents. The Council placed him on a three-year watch-list and similarly barred him from promotion during that period.
In a related development, NJC issued a cautionary letter to Justice A.O. Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, over conduct in a matter involving Chief Adesanya Musediku and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Onikan.
Some petitions, including those against Justice Othman Musa (FCT High Court) and Justice I.E. Ekwo (Federal High Court), were placed in abeyance pending appellate court decisions, while others were dismissed due to lack of merit or withdrawal by the petitioners.
The NJC also reviewed a controversial 2022 judicial appointment process in Zamfara State but concluded that the petitioner, who was a candidate, peddled falsehood and has now been barred from future judicial appointments.
Furthermore, petitions challenging the 2021 recruitment of six Federal High Court judges and the composition of the Oyo State Judicial Service Commission were dismissed for being time-barred or overtaken by events.
Meanwhile, the Council approved the voluntary retirement of Justice Babatunde Ahmed Ademola Bakre and the name change of Justice I.A. Osayande to Justice I.A. Dika of Edo State High Court.
In a major policy shift, the NJC announced that names of all nominees for appointment into Superior Courts of Record will now be publicly published for comments and scrutiny before final confirmation.
