The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 12 new Justices of the Court of Appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also issuing queries to 256 judicial officers over various performance-related infractions. The decisions were reached at the Council’s 111th meeting held on May 13, 2026.
In a statement issued on Thursday night by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the Council disclosed that it reviewed 98 petitions submitted by its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees. According to the statement, 68 petitions were dismissed for lack of merit, four judges were cautioned, one judge received a final warning, while 11 petitions were recommended for further investigation. The Council also suspended proceedings in some cases on the grounds that the matters were sub judice.
The NJC further referred one Mbadiwe Ossai to the Inspector-General of Police for investigation and possible prosecution over alleged perjury. Four legal practitioners: Adeboye Williams Adewale, Dr. Peter N. Ekemezie, Dr. Martin Odika and Muhammad Hamza Ahmad-Gana were also referred to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for allegedly filing frivolous petitions intended to harass judicial officers. The Council also barred a serial petitioner, Yusuf Isa, from submitting further petitions before it.
On judicial performance evaluation, the NJC commended nine judges for outstanding performance during the 2024 and 2025 legal years. It stated that two judges would receive letters of commendation for delivering more than 21 considered judgments within the review period, while seven others would get appreciation letters for commendable performance. However, the Council said 256 judicial officers would receive letters over various performance-related concerns.
The NJC also announced the suspension of two judges for one year without pay over misconduct and extended the appointment of Justice Ijeoma Agugua as Acting Chief Judge of Imo State. The Council rejected appeals filed by eight judges of the Imo State Judiciary who sought reversal of their compulsory retirement over allegations of age falsification. According to the NJC, the affected judges failed to provide fresh evidence capable of overturning the sanctions earlier imposed on them. The judges include Justices B.C. Iheka, K.A. Leaweanya, Okereke Chinyere Ngozi, Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi, Ofoha Uchenna, Everyman Eleanya, Rosemond Ibe and T.N. Nzeukwu.
However, the Council reinstated Justice T.I. Nze of the Customary Court of Appeal after accepting fresh evidence presented before its review committee. The judges were among 10 judicial officers earlier recommended for compulsory retirement at the Council’s 109th meeting held on June 25, 2025. While nine were accused of altering their dates of birth to unlawfully extend their years in service, Justice Nzeukwu was found to have improperly made himself available for swearing-in as Acting Chief Judge despite being fourth in the hierarchy, contrary to Section 271(4) of the Constitution.
The NJC also considered 13 investigation reports arising from petitions against judicial officers across the country concerning the handling of cases before them. Following deliberations, eight petitions were dismissed for lack of merit, want of diligent prosecution or for being statute-barred, while sanctions, including one-year suspension without pay, were imposed in two cases where misconduct was established. One of the affected judges, Justice Ibrahim D. Shekarau of the Nasarawa State High Court, was suspended for one year without pay for judicial misconduct involving the grant of an ex parte order in breach of Rules 3.1, 3.3 and 3.5 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2016. The disciplinary action followed a petition by Oluwafunke Obale Ozozoma over proceedings in Suit No. NSD/MG56M/2025. The petitioner alleged that Justice Shekarau granted an ex parte order directing the transfer of N7 million from her bank account to a third party without any substantive suit before the court. She further claimed the order falsely suggested her involvement in fraud despite not being charged or joined as a party in the matter. The NJC said its committee found that the judge acted in bad faith, failed to observe due process and demonstrated lack of professional competence.
Similarly, Justice Edward A.E. Okpe of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory was suspended for one year without pay over allegations of breach of fair hearing in a matrimonial dispute. The sanction followed a petition filed by Sunday Emmanuel Oso in Suit No. FCT/HC/PET/529/2024 between Lateefat Adeola Oso and Sunday Emmanuel Oso. The petitioner alleged that although hearing notices fixed the matter for September 19, 2024, the court proceeded to hear and grant an ex parte application on September 17, 2024, without notifying him.
