A Rivers State High Court judge, Justice Sobere Biambo, is among three judicial officers the National Judicial Council (NJC) suspended for one year without pay for acts of misconduct.
The Council also barred Justice Biambo from elevation for three years. The Council reached the decisions at its 112th meeting, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Justice Biambo was sanctioned for ordering the arrest of litigants and imposing fines of N300,000 on each of them in a civil dispute without complying with the prescribed contempt procedures.
The other suspended officers are Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court and Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal.
Justice Kabir was suspended for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of a court order without initiating proper contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49.
The Council held that the action violated the litigant’s right to a fair hearing. She was also barred from nomination for elevation for three years.
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Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for intervening in a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.
The Council found that he exceeded his authority by setting up a committee to review the decision and later assigning the matter to another judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment.
The most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal has been directed to perform the functions of the Grand Kadi during the period of suspension.
The NJC further issued cautions to eight other judicial officers over alleged misconduct, including unlawful detention of litigants, abuse of judicial authority, and violations of due process.
It also approved the issuance of warning letters to three judges following investigations into petitions concerning their conduct of judicial proceedings.
