NJC to probe 27 High Court judges over alleged judicial misconduct

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has formed four investigative panels to probe 27 high court judges across Nigeria for alleged judicial misconduct.

This decision was made during the NJC’s 106th meeting, presided over by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola. The panels were constituted following the NJC’s review of 22 petitions against these judges, with the council finding some of the allegations meritorious enough to warrant further investigation.

In addition to the probes, the NJC issued a cautionary letter to Justice O. M. Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court, advising him to exercise greater discretion as a judicial officer. Justice Olagunju had previously used inappropriate language in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging the NJC’s decision regarding the appointment of the President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Oyo State.

Of the 22 petitions reviewed, 18 were dismissed by the NJC for various reasons, including lack of merit, abandonment, or being subjudice. Some of the dismissed petitions were against notable judges such as Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, and Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

Moreover, the NJC placed five judges on its pre-sanction Watch List due to poor performance, warning that they would face appropriate sanctions if there is no improvement.

This meeting marked the last for Justice Ariwoola before his retirement, and he took the opportunity to express gratitude for the support he received during his tenure. In turn, members of the NJC commended him for his leadership and wished him well in his retirement.