The National Judicial Council (NJC) has barred judges
being investigated for criminal offences from
presiding over cases and performing other functions
relating to their offices pending when their innocence
is established.
The NJC made the decision at its 79th meeting held in
Abuja between Wednesday and yesterday.
Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Abubakar
Mahmud (SAN), speaking at a function in Abuja last
week, suggested that judges arrested by the
Department of State Services (DSS) should step
down.

But the NJC claimed that it lacked the powers to
order judges, against who allegations were made
without any evidence to back such allegations, to
step down.
The council was, however, silent, in a statement it
issued yesterday, on the reason for its sudden
change of mind.
Part of the statement signed by NJC’s Acting Director,
Information, reads: “Council decided that Judicial
officers shall not be standing trial for alleged
corruption related offences and be performing
judicial functions at the same time.

“Council however decided that it will ensure that
judicial officers, who are being investigated for
alleged high profile criminal offences do not perform
judicial functions until their cases are concluded,” it
said.
Those under investigation by the DSS are two
Supreme Court Justices -Justice Sylvester Ngwuta and
Justice Inyang Okoro – the suspended Presiding
Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice
Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, Justice Adeniyi Ademola
(Federal High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu State,
Justice I. A. Umezulike; Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano
State High Court; Justice Muazu Pindiga (Gombe
State High Court); Justice Bashir Sukola and Justice
Ladan Manir, from the Kaduna State High Court.
Out of the nine judges, the NJC has recommended
sanctions for Justice Tsamiya; Justice. Umezulike and
Justice Kabiru Auta.


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) is investigating six other judges of the Federal
High Court. These are: Justices Mohammed Nasir
Yunusa; Hyeladzira Ajiya Nganjiwa; Musa Haruna
Kurya; Agbadu James Fishim; Uwani Abba Aji; and
Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia.
The statement added that the NJC “at its 79th
meeting held on the 2nd and 3rd day of November
2016, began implementation of specific aspects of the
National Judicial Policy which came into force in April
2016 and was launched on Monday 24th October,
2016.

“During the Meeting, Council set up a Transparency
and Anti-Corruption Policy Implementation
Committee as follows:
*Hon Justice E. O. Ayoola, CON (Rtd Justice of the
Supreme Court) – chairman.
*Hon Justice Kashim Zannah, Chief Judge of Borno
State – member.
*A. B. Mahmoud, SAN, President Nigeria Bar
Association – member.
“Section 6 of the National Judicial Policy aims at
putting in place multifaceted strategies and
guidelines that will ensure transparency and
eliminate corruption in the Judiciary.
“It seeks, among other measures, to provide a
platform and opportunity to citizens who profess
factual and credible knowledge of information on the
nature and modalities of corruption in the judicial
system to ventilate such.”