The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 22 judges across the country, including Justices of the Supreme Court, heads of courts, among others.
The NJC recommended the elevation of four Justice of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, thereby making it eight of such Justices recommended for the apex court since October last year.
The council on October 23, 2019, announced that it recommended four Justices of the Court of Appeal for elevation to the Supreme Court, a recommendation President Muhammadu Buhari has not acted on.
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Those earlier recommended are Justice Adamu Jauro (North-East Zone), Justice Emmanuel A. Agim (South-South Zone), Justice C. Oseji (South-South Zone) and Justice Helen M. Ogunwumiju (South-West Zone).
The latest recommendation formed part of the decisions by the NJC at its second virtual meeting held on 11th and 12th August and chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad.
After considering the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on Petitions, the NJC dismissed the allegations of misconduct levelled against 16 judges, for either lacking in merit or being subjudice.
According to a statement by NJC’s spokesman, Soji Oye, the council’s plenary resolved to issue a warning letter to Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following its findings on the petition written against him by Dr Uchechukwu Samson Ogah.
Ogah had accused Justice Ogbonnaya of refusing to release a copy of the judgment delivered to the petitioner within the constitutionally prescribed period of seven days.
The judges, against whom the NJC dismissed allegations of misconduct include Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Ayodele Daramola, his Kwara counterpart, Chief Judge, Ekiti State, Sulyman Kawu; former Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and now judge of the High Court of Ondo State, Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi; Justices I. N. Oweibo, Hadiza R. Shagari and Ijeoma L. Ojukwu, Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa (all of the Federal High Court).
Others are Justices B. A. Oke-Lawal, O. A. Ogala (of the Lagos State High Court); Justice Augusta Uche Kingsley-Chukwu, (High Court of Rivers State); Justice Mustapha A. Ramat (High Court, Nasarawa State); Justices M. M. Ladan and Muhammed Lawal Bello (both of the High Court of Kaduna State); Justice Adamu M. Kafin Madaki (High Court of Bauchi State); Justice L. M. Boufini (High Court, Bayelsa State), and Kadi Goni Kur (Sharia Court of Appeal, Borno State).
The statement added: “Similarly, at the meeting, the council considered the report of its Interview Committee and recommended 22 judicial officers as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Heads of Court, judges of High Court of States, Kadis of States Sharia Courts of Appeal and judges of Customary Courts of Appeal.
“It also received the final report of the Judicial Ethics Committee and other Ad-Hoc Committees set up.
“Council also received the notification of retirement of thirteen (13) Judges and notification of the death of six (6) Judges of States High Courts and Sharia Court of Appeal.”
