· Clears nine (9) Imo Judges from age falsification allegation
· Reiterates earlier directive to Imo State Governor to swear in the most Senior Judge as acting Chief Judge
· Bars National Industrial Court Judge from Promotion for 3 Years
· Issues warning/caution to five Judges
(Press Release) The National Judicial Council at its 109th Meeting presided over by the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, GCON, held on 25 June 2025 has recommended two Hon. Judges for appointment as Heads of Court for Ekiti and Yobe States, respectively.
According to a statement signed by Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe, Deputy Director (Information), the Heads of Court are: Hon. Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, Chief Judge, Ekiti State and Hon. Kadi Abba Mammadi as Grand Kadi, Yobe State.
Similarly, Council has also recommended Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar, Esq. to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for appointment as Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The recommendations followed a careful consideration of various public complaints made against shortlisted candidates for the various positions and a rigorous interview by an 8-Member Interview Committee of the Council in line with the 2023 Revised NJC Guidelines and Procedural Rules for Appointment of Judicial Officers.
The remaining successful 18 candidates who were recommended for appointment as Judges for different Jurisdictions are as follows:
TWO HIGH COURT JUDGES FOR CROSS RIVER STATE
i) Edu, Glory Bassey
ii) Irem, Melody Bassey
THREE HIGH COURT JUDGES FOR OGUN STATE
i) Ojikutu, Adebayo Julius
ii) Adewole, Adejumoke Oluwatoyin
iii) Adebo, Oluyemisi Olukemi
THREE HIGH COURT JUDGES FOR ZAMFARA STATE
i) Garba, Sirajo Aliyu
ii) Bashir, Rabi
iii) Abdullahi, Nasiru
THREE KADIS FOR SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, ZAMFARA STATE
i) Ibrahim, Jibril
ii) Muhammed, Sanusi Magami
iii) Shaa’ban Mansur
ONE KADI FOR SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL, PLATEAU STATE
i) Badamasi, Kabir Adam
ONE JUDGE FOR CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, EBONYI STATE
i) Ogodo, Lynda Nneka
FOUR HIGH COURT JUDGES FOR KATSINA STATE
i) Dikko, Fadila Muhammad
ii) Abdulrahman, Shamsudden Yammama
iii) Abdullahi, Maryham Umaru
iv) Mohammed, Abubakar Dikko
It would be recalled that the Council had at its 108th Meeting held on 29 and 30 April 2025, approved a new policy to publish the names of candidates for consideration for appointment as Judicial Officers and invited public input.
A flurry of 86 public comments and complaints were received by the Council and 73 of them were favourable representing 85%, while 13 were adverse representing 15%.
However, out of the Thirteen (13) complaints, Five (5) had no accompanying verifying affidavits in breach of the publication guidelines and were not considered.
In view of the Council’s resolution, at its 27th Emergency Meeting held on 3 February 2025, relating to the appointment of the Chief Judge, Ekiti State, Council did not consider the Three (3) complaints relating thereto.
Five (5) complaints were considered against the appointment relating to the High Courts of Plateau and Kano States and the Sharia Courts of Appeal of Zamfara and Katsina States.
Flowing from this, Council dismissed Four (4) of the complaints, but found merit in one and dropped the affected candidate.