Alleged misconduct: NJC suspends 3 judges

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judges for one year without pay for misconduct, abuse of judicial powers and disregard for due process. The decision to suspend the judges was announced by Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, Deputy Director (Information) of the NJC, in Abuja on Thursday. The NJC's chairman is the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. In addition to the suspensions, the council also issued warning letters to three other judicial officers and cautioned eight more.

Justice Hannatu Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court is one of the suspended judges. The NJC stated that Kabir was suspended for unlawfully detaining a litigant for 58 days without proper contempt proceedings. The council also barred Kabir from being nominated for elevation for a period of three years.

Grand Kadi Mohammed Salihu of the Jigawa Sharia Court of Appeal is another suspended judge. The NJC revealed that Salihu was suspended for his involvement in reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court. Salihu's suspension is also for a year without pay and includes a three-year restriction on elevation.

Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers High Court is the third judge to be suspended. The NJC stated that Biambo was disciplined for issuing bench warrants and imposing fines on litigants in a civil dispute without due process. Biambo's suspension is also for one year without pay, and he faces a three-year restriction on elevation.