The National Judicial Council has suspended three judges for one year without pay over various acts of judicial misconduct, including unlawful detention of litigants, reopening of concluded cases, and imposition of fines without due process.
The council also barred two of the judges from elevation for three years while issuing warning letters and cautions to six other judicial officers over alleged breaches of judicial conduct.
The decisions were taken at the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, but sighted by our correspondent on Thursday, the council said it approved the suspension of Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.
Justice Kabir was sanctioned over the unlawful detention of a litigant for 58 days without proper contempt proceedings.
The NJC said, “The Investigation Committee found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention for alleged disobedience of court orders without the issuance and service of the mandatory Forms 48 and 49 or the institution of proper contempt proceedings.”
It added that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and could not lawfully be summarily tried and punished.
“The committee also found that the action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing,” the statement added.
The council consequently approved her suspension for one year without pay and barred her from nomination for elevation for three years.
Similarly, Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for one year without pay over his involvement in reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.
According to the NJC, the investigation committee found that the Grand Kadi exceeded his authority by constituting a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigning the matter to a Higher Sharia Court judge, who received fresh evidence and delivered another judgment.
“The committee held that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, which was subsequently set aside by the Jigawa State High Court,” the council stated.
It added that the action violated Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.
The NJC directed that the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal should perform the functions of the office of the Grand Kadi during the suspension.
