The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay and issued warnings and cautions to several others over misconduct, abuse of judicial powers and violations of court procedures.
The decisions were reached at the Council’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
The three suspended judicial 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 suspended for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience to a court order without following the required contempt procedures or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49. The NJC ruled that her actions violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing and additionally barred her from consideration for promotion for three years.
Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for exceeding his judicial authority by reopening a judgment previously delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. He reportedly constituted a committee to review the judgment and transferred the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a different judgment. The NJC considered the action an improper attempt to appeal against an existing judgment of a competent court.
Justice Biambo was also suspended for ordering the arrest of litigants and imposing fines of ₦300,000 on each of them in a civil dispute without proper contempt proceedings or the required legal documentation. He was equally barred from elevation for three years.
The Council also cautioned Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court over his handling of garnishee proceedings involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc. He was faulted for granting a fresh ex parte Garnishee Order Nisi after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out, while other pending applications, including a request for stay of execution, were yet to be determined.
Other judicial officers affected by the disciplinary decisions include Justice Bello Kawu, who was faulted 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 beyond the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.
Similarly, Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court was cautioned and placed on the NJC’s Watch List for issuing orders after being informed that an appeal had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.
Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was cautioned for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay of proceedings, while Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court was sanctioned for granting an ex parte garnishee order that froze the bank accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive case.
Meanwhile, the NJC reviewed 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees. It dismissed 24 petitions for lacking merit, recommended four for further investigation and suspended consideration of one because the matter was already before a court.
The Council also directed that investigations into a petition against Justice G. N. Ugbala of the Ebonyi State High Court should continue despite the petitioner’s decision to withdraw the complaint.
Beyond the disciplinary actions, the NJC recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across the country. These include 24 candidates for High Court positions in Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun States, one Grand Kadi for the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, one 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 Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, on the shortlist for appointment as the state’s substantive Chief Judge following a petition challenging her earlier exclusion.
It also approved retirement notifications for six judicial officers, including two Supreme Court Justices, and expressed condolences over the deaths of nine judicial officers recorded between May and September 2026.