10 Imo Judges face sack over age falsification-NJC

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 10 judges of the Imo State Judiciary for compulsory retirement over alleged age falsification.

It also cautioned Edo State Chief Judge Justice Daniel Okungbowa over alleged abuse of judicial discretion.

Also yesterday, the Council recommended to President Bola Tinubu the appointment of a lawyer, Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

It absolved Benue State Chief Judge Justice M. A. Ikpambese, whose suspension by the state’s House of Assembly was earlier rejected by the council, of any wrong doing.

The Council barred Justice Isaac J. Essien of the National Industrial Court (NIC) from being considered for promotion to a higher court for three years due to misconduct.

These decisions, among others are contained in a statement issued last night by the NJC after its 109th meeting on Wednesday.

The statement, signed by NJC’s acting Director, Information, Mrs. Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe reads:

“The National Judicial Council at its 109th meeting presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, held on 25 June 2025 has recommended two Judges for appointment as Heads of Court for Ekiti and Yobe States, respectively.

“The Heads of Court are: Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunmoye, Chief Judge, Ekiti State and Kadi Abba Mammadi as Grand Khadi, 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

“They are: Edu Glory Bassey and Irem Melody Bassey for as High Court Judges for Cross River State; Adewole Adejumoke Oluwatoyin, Adebo Oluyemisi Olukemi and Ojikutu Adebayo Julius as High Court Judges in Ogun State; Garba Sirajo Aliyu, Bashir Rabi and Abdullahi, Nasiru as Judges in Zamfara State High Court…’’