The National Judicial Council, NJC, has dismissed a petition written against the Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Sulyman Kawu for being frivolous, baseless and unmeritorious.
NJC at the end of its virtual meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad said that Justice Kawu and others were not found wanting in the allegations against them by their respective petitioners.
The umbrella body constitutionally empowered to invoke disciplinary punishment against serving erring judicial officers also threw away petitions against 15 other Judges.
Other Judges who had petitions against them dismissed were Justice Ayodele Daramola, Chief Judge, Ekiti State, Justices I. N. Oweibo, Hadiza R. Shagari, Ijeoma Ojukwu, Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa all of the Federal High Court.
The rest 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 Ramat, High Court, Nasarawa State, Justices M. M. Ladan, Muhammed Lawal Bello both of the High Court of Kaduna State.
Petitions against 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 were also shut down for either lacking in merit or being subjudiced.
In the same vein, the council also dismissed another petition written by Mrs Ademujimi Adenike Nancy against Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi for want of merit.
The statement read in part ” National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad CFR, at its 2nd Virtual Meeting held on 11th and 12th August 2020, considered the report of its Investigation Committee on allegation of misconduct made against Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“At the end of the deliberation, the plenary resolved to issue a warning letter to Justice Ogbonnaya following its findings on the petition written against him by Dr. Uchechukwu Samson Ogah, that His Lordship refused to release a copy of Judgment delivered to the petitioner within the constitutionally prescribed period of seven days.
“Similarly, the Council considered the report of its Interview Committee and recommended twenty-two 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.
The NJC statement released by its Director of Information, Mr Soji Oye also indicated that it received the notification of retirement of thirteen Judges and notification of the death of six Judges of States High Courts and Sharia Court of Appeal.
