THE National Judicial Council has issued warning letters to two High Court judges in the Federal Capital Territory and Kaduna judiciaries over alleged misconduct.
The council’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement, the NJC took the decision at its 97th meeting held on March 15 and 16, 2022.
The meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, who doubles as the chairperson of the NJC, also recommended 15 judicial appointments, including six court heads.
Oye said of the judges, Muawiyah Idris of the FCT High Court was issued a warning letter and placed on the council’s “watch list” for a period of one year.
The statement read, “The NJC found Idris wanting for signing the Writ of Possession for execution on the same day he delivered judgment in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/FT/36/19 between Sicons Nigeria Limited and Nile Place Restaurant and Catering Services Limited.
“The council agreed with the findings of the committee that investigated the judge that his action was in contravention of the proviso to Order 27 Rule (16) (b) High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Procedure Rules 2018 and Order 4 (1) and (2) of the Judgment Enforcement Rules 2004.
“The council also issued a warning letter to M. M. Ladan of the High Court of Kaduna State having found merit in the petition written against him in Suit No. KDH/KAD/1321/2018 between VTLS Inc. Vs Ahmadu Bello University.
Ladan was said to have signed the Writ of Attachment while the Garnishee Order Nisi was pending.”
The statement added that the council also considered the list of candidates presented by its interview committee and recommended 15 successful candidates as heads of courts and other judicial officers in Nigeria.
“All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after an approval by President Muhammadu Buhari, and their respective state governors and confirmation by the National Assembly and the respective state Houses of Assembly as the case may be,” it added.
The statement also revealed that “members also considered the reports of various committees and noted the notification of retirements of 23 judicial officers of the Federal and State Courts and notification of death of one State High Court judge.”.
