Quote from Abu_Afro on May 16, 2026, 9:34 am

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has taken decisive disciplinary action, suspending two senior high court judges for one year without pay over acts of judicial misconduct. The council, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, announced that the affected jurists were found to have violated the fundamental rights of litigants by granting reckless ex-parte applications without affording the opposing parties a fair hearing.

Concurrently, the NJC has recommended the immediate appointment and elevation of 12 new Justices to the Court of Appeal to fill vacancies created by recent retirements and statutory promotions. Prominent among the nominees are Yakubu Mohammed, Monisola Abodunde, and Raphael Ajuwa. The council noted that these promotions are essential to strengthening the structural capacity of the appellate courts and clearing a backlog of sensitive cases.

In an official statement, the council disclosed that it had dismissed 73 groundless petitions against various judicial officers for lack of merit or diligent prosecution. Under a newly adopted structural policy, the NJC further declared that any retired public servant seeking judicial appointments must possess a minimum of ten years of service eligibility remaining before reaching the mandatory retirement age.

Legal analysts have lauded the development as a necessary housecleaning exercise to restore institutional integrity to the bench. The prevalence of contradictory ex-parte orders, especially in political matters, has frequently drawn public ire over the last two years. The NJC’s swift punitive action sends a blunt message that the judiciary will not tolerate erratic discretion as the nation transitions into an active electoral cycle.

https://punchng.com/njc-suspends-two-judges-recommends-elevation-of-12/