The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 86 justices and judges for the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal, and Customary Courts of Appeal of states across the country.
The recommendations were made by the council’s Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria, during the NJC’s 105th plenary meeting held between May 15 and 16, 2024.
This was revealed in a statement issued by the council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, dated May 16, 2024.
They include Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette of the Rivers State High Court, who is the wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba of the Federal High Court; Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory;
Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke of the Federal High Court, and Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court.
Others are Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna; Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola; Justice Eleojo Eneche; Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf; Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman; Justice Abdu Dogo; Justice Fadawu Umaru, and Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani.
Also on the list are Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar; Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka; Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu; Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi; Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor, and Justice Ntong Festus Ntong.
Equally elevated to the Court of Appeal are Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi; Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem, and Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola.
The NJC recommended the appointment of 12 judges for the High Court of the FCT; seven for Imo State High Court; six for Bauchi State High Court; three for Taraba State High Court; 13 for Lagos State High Court, and four for Kogi State High Court.
It equally recommended the appointment of two judges for Jigawa State High Court; five kadis for the Bauchi Sharia Court of Appeal; five kadis for Kogi State Sharia Court of Appeal; one kadi for the Jigawa State Court of Appeal, and three judges for the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal.
The NJC also recommended the appointment of two judges for the Taraba State Customary Court of Appeal and one for Kogi State Customary Court of Appeal.
Oye said the affected judicial officers will be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations by the President and the relevant state Governors.
He said the NJC also resolved to issue warning letters to three judges and barred them from being elevated to a higher Bench for a certain period over alleged misconduct.
Justice Inyang E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court was issued a warning and barred from elevation for two years.
Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of the Delta State High Court was also issued a warning and barred from elevation for three years.
Justice Amina Shehu of the Yobe State High Court was cautioned.
According to Oye, Justice Ekwo “is warned for abuse of discretionary power of a judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors V Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors.”
He said Justice Brikins-Okolosi “is also issued a warning for failure to deliver judgment within the stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, Suit No A/94/2010 after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.
Oye added: “Council (NJC) cautioned Hon. Justice Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court for issuing writ of possession conferring title on the defendant in suit No YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when there was no subsisting judgment of any court to enable His Lordship issue the writ.”
The NJC spokesman further said: “Council at the meeting considered two reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against judges of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the committees.
“Petition against various judges were dismissed for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.”
According to Oye, the dismissed petitions were against Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, and D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court; Justices S. B. Belgore and Bello Kawu of the High Court of FCT; Justices O. A. Chijioke, A. E. Akeredolu and Kadi M. U. El-Mainari, who sat on Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State.
Justice Okey Paulinus Aneke of the High Court of Enugu State; Justice C. Anya of Abia State High Court; Justices M. A. Ikpambese and W. I. Kpochi of Benue State High Court; Justices T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka (Chief Judge) and B. C. Iheka of Imo State High Court; Justice Rose Godwin Soji of Nasarawa State High Court and Justice T. J. Yakubu, High Court Taraba State also had petitions written against them dismissed.
The NJC equally dismissed petitions against Justices W. N. Danagogo and Chinwendu Nworgu, High Court Rivers State, Justice C. C. Okaa of the High Court of Anambra State, and Justice Abdullahi Sulyman of the High Court of Kogi State.
According to him, the NJC deliberated on the notification of the retirements of three judicial officers, including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the notification of the death of three judges of the federal and state courts.
See more:
Press RELEASE from NJC
16 May 2024
• NJC issues warning letters to three Judges and bars them from elevation to higher bench for a period;
• Empanels Committees to investigate 8 Judges of the Federal & State Courts;
• Appoints 86 Judicial Officers for Federal & State Courts;
The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its plenary of 105th Meeting held on 15 & 16 May 2024, resolved to issue warning letters to Hon Justice Inyang E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Hon. Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court.
Hon Justice Inyang E. Ekwo is warned for abuse of discretionary power of a Judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023 Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors V Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors,
The Hon Judge is also barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for a period of two years.
Hon. Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court is also issued a warning for failure to deliver judgement within stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, Suit No A/94/2010 after parties had filed and adopted their final Written Addresses.
Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for a period of three years.
Council cautioned Hon. Justice Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court for issuing Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the Defendant in Suit No YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020 when there was no subsisting judgement of any Court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ.
Council at the meeting considered two Reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the Committees.
Petition against various Judges were dismissed for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed.
The dismissed petitions were against Hon Justices A. M. Liman, A. A. Okeke, D. E. Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Hon Justices S. B. Belgore, Bello Kawu both of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Hon Justices O. A. Chijioke, A. E. Akeredolu and Kadi M. U. El-Mainari who sat on Election Petition Tribunal in Edo State, Hon Justice Okey Paulinus Aneke, High Court Enugu State and Hon Justice C. Anya of Abia State.
Others are Hon Justices M. A. Ikpambese and W. I. Kpochi both of Benue High Court, Hon Justices T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka Chief Judge and B. C. Iheka of Imo State High Court, Hon Justice Rose Godwin Soji of Nasarawa State High Court, Hon Justice T. J. Yakubu, High Court Taraba State, High Justices W. N. Danagogo and Chinwendu Nworgu, High Court Rivers State, Hon Justice C. C. Okaa, High Court Anambra State and Hon Justice Abdullahi Sulyman High Court, Kogi State.
The Council deliberated on the notification of retirements of three Judicial Officers including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON and notification of death of three Judges of the Federal and State Courts.
Council at the Meeting also considered the recommendation of its Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria and resolved to recommend the under-listed 86 Judicial Officers for appointment to the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal and Customary Courts of Appeal of States in Nigeria.
They are as follows:
- TWENTY-TWO (22) JUSTICES, COURT OF APPEAL
- Hon. Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna
- Hon. Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola
- Hon. Justice Eleojo Eneche
- Hon. Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf
- Hon. Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman
- Hon. Justice Abdu Dogo
- Hon. Justice Fadawu Umaru
- Hon. Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani
- Hon. Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar
- Hon. Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka
- Hon. Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba
- Hon. Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu
- Hon. Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi
- Hon. Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke
- Hon. Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor
- Hon. Justice Ntong Festus Ntong
- Hon. Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi
- Hon. Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette
- Hon. Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo
- Hon. Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem
- Hon. Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola
- Hon. Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi
- TWELVE (12) JUDGES, HIGH COURT, FCT ABUJA
- Ademuyiwa Olakunle Oyeyipo
- Bamodu Odunayo Olutomi
- Anumaenwe Godwin Iheabunike
- Odo Celestine Obinna
- Hauwa Lawal Gummi
- Abdurahman Usman
- Buetnaan Mandy Bassi
- Sarah Benjamin Inesu Avoh
- Maryan Iye Yusuf
- Ariwoola Oluwakemi Victoria
- Lesley Nkesi Belema Wike
- Munirat Ibrahim Tanko
- SEVEN (7) JUDGES, IMO STATE HIGH COURT
- Akowundu Cletus Ndubuisi
- Uchenna Mary Njoku
- Chibuogwu Ojiugo Chukwumaeze
- Ononogbo Chidi Linus
- Adaego Peace Nosiri
- Emeka Ozoma Orafu
- Mathew Chinedu Ijezie
- SIX (6) JUDGES, BAUCH STATE HIGH COURT
- Amin Umar Ilelah
- Aliyu Bin Idris
- Ahmed Shuaibu Ningi
- Shafa’u Ladan Yusuf
- Abdussalam Idris Waziri
- Kawu A. Yerima
- THREE (3) JUDGES, TARABA STATE HIGH COURT
- Hamidu Audu
- Bibonga Jeniffer Nauma
- Joel Daniel Ubandoma
- THIRTEEN (13) JUDGES, LAGOS STATE HIGH COURT
- Sunmonu Tunde Bashiru
- Azeez Fimisola Augusta
- Alebiosu Olawale Lawal
- Adewale Russel Musiliu
- Popoola Oluwatosin Ajose
- Anjorin-Ajose Tanimola Abdulwaheed
- Muyideen Abdul-Raheem Tejumade
- George Alfred Akingbola
- Balogun Adegboyega Ganiu
- Shonubi Adenike Kudirat
- Badejo-Okusanya Yewande Jokotola
- Layinka Oyeladun Amope
- Ojuromi Nalirat Olayinka Oluwatosin
- FOUR (4) JUDGES, KOGI STATE HIGH COURT
- Ajesola Joseph Sunday
- Ojoma Rachael Haruna
- Kadiri Badama
- Ezema Beatrice Ada
- TWO (2) JUDGES, JIGAWA STATE HIGH COURT,
- Mohammad El-Usman
- Nilfa Abdullahi Gambo
- FIVE (5) KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, BAUCHI STATE
- Ishaku Magaji
- Abdurrahman Hassan Sabo
- Bello Mohammed Sambowal
- Muhyiddeen Mohammed
- Mahmoud Idris Shehu Tiyin
- FIVE (5) KADIS, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE
- Muhammad Muhammad Bello
- Okino Isah Saidu
- Yakubu Adavenge Abbas
- Shaibu Ridwan Aliyu
- Idris Alhaji Abdullahi
- ONE (1) KADI, SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, JIGAWA STATE
- Mukhtar Shuaibu Adam
- THREE (3) JUDGES, IMO STATE CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL
- Everyman Ezenna Eleanya
- Ofoha Sylvesta Uchenna
- Ibeh Rosemond Oluchi
- TWO JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, TARABA STATE
- Esther Tata
- Benjamin Samuila Bawage
- ONE (1) JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, KOGI STATE
- Maryann Oziohu Otaru
All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the NJC recommendations to the President and their respective State Governors.
Soji Oye, Esq.
Director, Information