The National Judicial Council presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola,has dismissed petitions filed against President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Monica Dongban-Mensam, one Osun State high Court judge, Justice A. A Aderibigbe and 16 others.
The Council also resolved to issue a letter of advice to Hon. Justice Olusegun Muniru Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court to be circumspect as a Judicial Officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.
The resolutions were made at its 106th Meeting of 14 & 15 August 2024, after the Council considered the report of the Committee it set up, and mandated it to invite the Hon. Judge to appear before it to defend his uncouth language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision viz-a-viz its Policy Direction on Appointment of President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State.
A statement by the NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, said the council at the meeting also considered the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel four (4) Committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.
The remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lack of merit, for being abandoned, or for being subjudice.
The discountenanced petitions are against Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, CFR, President Court of Appeal, Hon. Justices E. O. Williams Dawodu, B. A. Georgewill, Yargata Timpar, S. D. Samchi, Aisha B. Aliyu, A. A. Aderibigbe M. L. Shuaibu, H. A. O. Abiru and Abdulazeez Waziri all of the Court of Appeal.
Others are the Chief Judge Federal High Court Hon. Justice J. T. Tsoho, OFR, Hon. Justices Z. B. Abubakar, J. K. Omotosho, Sunday B. Onu all of the Federal High Court and Justice Okon E. Abang when he was serving at the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Babagana Karumi of the High Court Borno State, Hon. Justice Maimuna A. Abubakar of the High Court of Niger State, Hon. Justice A. A. Aderibigbe of Osun State High Court and Hon. Justice Aisha B. Aliyu of Nasarawa State High Court.
Petitions written against Justices Ayodele Oyeyemi Oyebisi, Amaobi L. Agara, Amina Garba, Bello M. Tukur, Omeka Elekwa and O. A. Adetujoye who served at Asaba and Plateau National and State Assembly Election Tribunal Panels.
Council also considered the Report of its Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of record and resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, No submission and non-performance to 215 Judges all over the Federation.
It also placed five Judges on its pre-sanction Watch List register for poor performance. They would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance.
The CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in the meeting being the last one before his retirement, appreciated the cooperation he received from members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend the same to his successor.
Members of the Council also eulogised the outgoing CJN and Chairman one after the other and wished him good health in retirement. (Channels TV: Text, Excluding Headline)
