NJC suspends three judges for one year without pay over alleged misconduct, cautions eight others

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

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.

According to Channels Television, the three judicial officers suspended 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 of a court order without initiating proper contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49.

The Council also barred her from being considered for elevation for three years, ruling that her actions violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing.

Grand Kadi Salihu was sanctioned over his involvement in reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. An investigation found that he exceeded his authority by constituting a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigning the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment.

The Council held that the process 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 ₦300,000 each in a civil dispute without proper contempt proceedings or service of the prescribed forms. Both Salihu and Biambo were equally barred from elevation for three years.

Meanwhile, the NJC 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that he granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out, while other pending applications, including one for a stay of execution, were yet to be heard.

In another disciplinary decision, the Council approved warnings and cautions for other judicial officers, including Justice Bello Kawu, who granted 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.

Others cautioned or placed on the Council’s Watch List include Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court 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 for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and application for stay; and 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.

The NJC also considered 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, dismissing 24 for lack of merit, recommending four for further investigation and placing one in abeyance because it was sub judice.

It further 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.