The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of two judges with immediate effect in Imo and Bauchi States.
The judges are the Acting President, Imo State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Francis Abosi and Justice Aliyu Liman of the Bauchi State High Court.
A statement by the Director of Information NJC, Soji Oye, said the council made the recommendations during its 91st Intensive Meeting held online on April 22 and April 23.
The NJC is headed by the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Tanko Muhammad.
Oye disclosed that the Council recommended Justice Abosi for compulsory retirement following the falsification of his date of birth from 1950 to 1958.
The council said findings showed that he was supposed to have retired in November, 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of Sixty-five (65) years.
Oye stated that the Council decided to recommend for his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and to also deduct the salaries he had earned from November, 2015 to date from his retirement benefit.
On Justice Liman of Bauchi State, Oye said: “Justice Liman was recommended to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed for compulsory retirement pursuant to the findings by the Council for his failure to deliver judgment in suit No BA/100/2010, between Abubakar Isa and Sheik Tahir Bauchi within the three months period stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Council viewed his failure to deliver judgment for nearly four years as a misconduct, contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and Rules 1.3 and 3.7 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, suspended the two judges from office pending the approval of the recommendation of the Council for his compulsory retirement to the their respective State Governors”.
Oye disclosed that the NJC also set up a 10-man committee to develop a template for court sittings in spite of the lockdown and Covid-19 challenges.
The NJC said the committee is to come up with urgent practical strategic measures to be put in place in order to ensure Courts continue to function in spite of the lockdown and COVID-19 challenges.
The committee will be chaired by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, while Justices M. B. Dongban-Mensem, J. T. Tsoho, B. B. Kanyip, Ishaq Bello, O. A. Ojo and Kashim Zannah would serve as members.
Other members are Paul Usoro (SAN), A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) and D. D. Dodo (SAN).
The Council said that the committee is to come up with guidelines or template for implementation.
During the meeting, the NJC also appointed 70 Judicial Officers for Federal and State Judiciaries.
The 70 judicial officers are appointed as President, Court of Appeal; Grand Khadis; President, Customary Court of Appeal; and Judges of High Court of States and the Federal Capital Territory; and Khadis of State Sharia Courts of Appeal.
