The National Judicial Council has recommended 12 judges for appointment as justices of the Court of Appeal and suspended two serving judges for one year without pay over acts of judicial misconduct.
The resolutions were reached during the council’s 111th meeting held on May 13 and chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the council said the appointments were intended to address vacancies created by retirements and elevations within the judiciary and improve justice delivery across the country.
Those recommended as new justices of the Court of Appeal include Yakubu Abdulhammeed Mohammed, Monisola Oluwatoyin Abodunde, Raphael Ajuwa, Elias Ojie Abua, Mbalamen Jennifer Ijohor, Sabiu Bala Shuaibu, James Kolawole Omotosho, Emeka Nwite, Dauda Njane Buba, Sanusi Kado, Enikuomehin Ademola and Julcit Veronica Dadom.
The council also recommended Christine T. Clement Ende for appointment as a judge of the Benue State High Court, while Ibrahim Abdullahi Yakubu and Bala Salisu Daura were nominated as Kadis of the Katsina State Sharia Court of Appeal.
According to the NJC, the nominations of Yakubu and Daura were initially delayed following a petition questioning their eligibility on the grounds that they had retired from public service. However, the council ruled that the 1999 Constitution does not bar retired public servants from being appointed as judicial officers.
The council said its position was supported by an earlier Court of Appeal judgment in Ayoola v. Baruwa (1999), which held that retired legal practitioners could still be appointed to the bench.
The NJC further disclosed that it had introduced a policy requiring any retired public servant seeking judicial appointment to have at least 10 years left before reaching the mandatory retirement age for judges.
Meanwhile, the council extended the tenure of Ijeoma O. Agugua as Acting Chief Judge of Imo State by another three months pending the appointment of a substantive chief judge.
On disciplinary matters, the NJC rejected appeals filed by eight judges from Imo State who were previously compulsorily retired over age falsification, stating that they failed to provide fresh evidence to overturn the sanctions earlier imposed on them.
However, the council reinstated Justice T. I. Nze after reviewing new evidence presented before its committee.
The NJC also sanctioned two judges over misconduct linked to ex parte orders.
Justice Ibrahim D. Shekarau was suspended for one year without pay after the council found that he acted in bad faith and failed to follow due process in granting an ex parte order.
Similarly, Justice Edward A. E. Okpe was suspended for one year without salary for issuing an ex parte order that led to committal proceedings against a petitioner without giving the affected party an opportunity to be heard.
The council added that 73 petitions against judicial officers were dismissed for lacking merit, being abandoned by petitioners or falling outside the allowable time frame, while 11 petitions were slated for further investigation.
The NJC also commended nine judges for outstanding performance during the 2024 and 2025 legal years and approved the issuance of 256 performance-related advisory letters to judicial officers nationwide.
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