The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended to President Bola Tinubu the appointment of 12 new justices of the Court of Appeal.
The Council, in a statement issued late on Thursday night, said it had also issued queries to 256 judicial officers for “various performance-related issues.”
“The Council also deliberated on the report of 98 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees.
“Out of the petitions considered, 68 were dismissed for lack of merit, four Judges were cautioned, one judge received a final warning, while 11 petitions were recommended for further investigation.
“The Council further adopted reports suspending proceedings in some petitions on the grounds that the matters were subjudice.
“Council also resolved to refer one Mbadiwe Ossai to the Inspector General of Police for investigation and prosecution for alleged perjury, while Adeboye Williams Adewale, Esq.; Dr. Peter N. Ekemezie, Esq.; Dr. Martin Odika, Esq.; and Muhammad Hamza Ahmad-Gana, Esq.; were referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for writing frivolous and unsubstantiated petitions calculated to harass and intimidate Judicial Officers.
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“In a related development, one Yusuf Isa, a serial petitioner, was barred from further presenting petitions to the Council.
“On judicial performance evaluation, the NJC commended nine Judges for exemplary performance during the 2024 and 2025 legal years.
“Two Judges are to receive letters of commendation for delivering more than 21 considered judgments within the review period, while seven others will receive appreciation letters for commendable performance.
“The Council also approved the issuance of 256 letters to judicial officers for various performance-related issues,” the statement, which was signed by NJC’s Deputy Director, Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, added.
The Council, which took the decisions at its 111 Meeting held on May 13, disclosed that two judges were suspended for one year without pay, even as it extended the appointment of Justice Ijeoma Agugua as the Acting Chief Judge of Imo State.
“On disciplinary matters, the Council rejected appeals filed by eight judges of the Imo State Judiciary seeking a reversal of their compulsory retirement from service over age falsification.
“The Council found that the affected Judges failed to present fresh evidence capable of justifying a reversal of the sanctions imposed on them.
“The Judges include Hon. Justice B.C. Theka, Hon. Justice K. A. Leaweanya, Hon. Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi, Hon. Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi, Hon. Justice Ofoha Uchenna, Hon. Justice Everyman Eleanya, Hon. Justice Rosemond Ibe and Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu.
“However, the Council reinstated Hon. Justice T. I. Nze of the Customary Court of Appeal after His Lordship presented new evidence to the review committee which the committee found to be authentic.
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“The affected Judges were among 10 Judicial Officers recommended for compulsory retirement at the Council’s 109 meeting held on 25 June 2025.
“Nine of them were found to have altered their dates of birth in official records to unlawfully extend their years in service, while Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was found to have made himself available to be sworn in as Acting Chief Judge despite being fourth in the hierarchy of Judges, contrary to Section 271(4) of the Constitution.
“The Council also considered 13 investigation reports on petitions filed against Judicial Officers across the country over the handling of cases before them.
“Following deliberations, the NJC dismissed 8 petitions for lack of merit, want of diligent prosecution or for being time barred, while sanctions including one year suspension without pay, were imposed in 2 cases where misconduct was established.
“Specifically, the Council suspended Hon. Justice Ibrahim D. Shekarau of the High Court of Nasarawa State for one year without pay for judicial misconduct involving the grant of an ex parte order in breach of Rules 3.1, 3.3 and 3.5 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2016.
“The suspension followed a petition by Oluwafunke Obale Ozozoma over proceedings in Suit No. NSD/MG56M/2025.
“The petitioner alleged Hon. Justice Shekarau granted an ex parte order directing the transfer of N7 million from her bank account to a third party as a purported reversal of funds.
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