*Two Barred From Elevation
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The National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay over findings of judicial misconduct, including the unlawful detention of a litigant for 58 days, the reopening of a valid court judgment and the imposition of fines and bench warrants without due process.
The affected judicial officers are Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.
The decisions were reached at the Council’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, GCON.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the NJC disclosed that it considered nine investigation reports concerning petitions against judicial officers over their handling of cases.
The Council approved the suspension of Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir for one year without pay and barred her from nomination for elevation for three years following findings that she unlawfully ordered the detention of a litigant for 58 days without proper contempt proceedings.
According to the NJC, the investigation committee established that Justice Kabir ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention for alleged disobedience of court orders without the issuance and service of the mandatory Forms 48 and 49 or the institution of proper contempt proceedings.
The committee held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not lawfully be summarily tried and punished.
It further found that the judge’s actions violated the litigant’s constitutional right to fair hearing.
The NJC also approved the suspension of Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal for one year without pay over his involvement in reopening a judgment previously delivered by the Federal Capital Territory Upper Area Court.
The investigation committee found that the Grand Kadi exceeded his authority by constituting a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigning the matter to a Higher Sharia Court judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered another judgment.
The committee held that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction.
It noted that the subsequent judgment was set aside by the Jigawa State High Court.
The NJC further held that the Grand Kadi’s conduct violated Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.
Consequently, the Council directed that the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal should perform the functions of the Grand Kadi throughout the period of his suspension.
In the third disciplinary case, Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court was suspended for one year without pay and barred from elevation for three years over the issuance of bench warrants and the imposition of fines on litigants in a civil dispute without due process.
The investigation committee found that Justice Biambo ordered the arrest of petitioners for allegedly disobeying an interim injunction and subsequently imposed fines of ₦300,000 on each of them without instituting contempt proceedings or serving Forms 48 and 49.
The NJC held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and ought not to have been summarily tried and punished.
The Council’s findings in the Nasarawa and Rivers cases centred on the requirement that allegations of contempt committed outside a court’s presence must be addressed through proper legal procedures rather than summary punishment.
The NJC also considered other disciplinary complaints against judicial officers and approved warnings and cautions in several cases.
Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court was cautioned over his handling of post-judgment garnishee proceedings involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The investigation committee found that he improperly entertained and granted a fresh ex parte application for a Garnishee Order Nisi on October 22, 2025, after an earlier similar application had been withdrawn and struck out.
The committee observed that the order was granted while other pending applications, including the bank’s application for a stay of execution, had been adjourned to November 4, 2025.
It held that the judge’s conduct created room for justifiable suspicion.
The Council also directed that Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court be issued a warning letter and placed on its Watch List for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, despite a subsisting remand order issued by another judge of the same court.
According to the NJC, Justice Kawu was aware that the remand order was due to expire at midnight on December 24, 2025, but granted interim bail on December 23, 2025, in conflict with that order.
Justices Danjuma A. Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana of the Nasarawa State High Court were also issued warning letters for failing to deliver judgment in an appeal within the constitutionally prescribed 90 days.
The Council held that the delay breached Section 294 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and advised the judges to be more diligent in their case management.
Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court was cautioned and placed on the Watch List after the NJC found that he entertained an application and made orders despite being informed that an appeal had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.
The committee described his conduct as a disregard for the appellate court that bordered on insubordination.
Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court was cautioned for continuing proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay of proceedings.
The Council also cautioned and placed Justice Chibuike L. Azuama of the Imo State High Court on its Watch List after finding that he granted an ex parte garnishee order freezing the bank accounts of Puma Energy, which was not a party to the substantive suit, causing the company substantial losses.
The NJC disclosed that it considered reports on 35 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, dismissed 24 for lack of merit, recommended four for further investigation and placed one in abeyance because it was sub judice.
It also approved caution or warning measures against six judicial officers, including placement on its Watch List for six months.
The Council maintained that the disciplinary decisions followed investigations into petitions concerning judicial conduct and compliance with established legal procedures.
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