NJC Dismisses Petition against Mary Odili, Approves Nine Judges for Appeal Court

*Sets up 7 committees to probe judicial officers

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has dismissed petitions against a retired Supreme Court Judge, Mary Odili,  and 25 others, just as it also set up seven committees to probe petitions against some other judicial officers.

The NJC also recommended Nine judges for appointment as Justices of the Court of Appeal.
These decisions were reached at the Council’s meetings held on Wednesday and Thursday in Abuja, a statement yesterday by the Council’s Information Director, Mr Soji, said.

According to the statement, the council considered reports from various investigation committees and preliminary complaints assessment committees, on petitions written against 33 judicial officers from the Court of Appeal and state High Courts.

The statement added that the Council agreed with recommendations to empanel investigation committees against serving judges of different states.
“Petitions against the remaining judicial officers were either dismissed for lack of merit, lack of diligent prosecution, withdrawal of the petition, being subjudice and for the subject judge having retired from service,” the statement reads.

Amongst those dismissed include that of Justice Odili; on the grounds that she had retired as a Judicial Officer while the other 25 petitions were thrown out for various reasons ranging from lack of merit, lack of diligent prosecution, withdrawal, being sub judice and for the subject Judge having retired from service.
However, seven State High Court Judges indicted by the NJC’s investigation Committee are to face probe panels that would determine the level of their culpability.

Meanwhile, the Council has recommended 37 Judicial Officers for appointment to the President and seven Governors as Justices of the Court of Appeal, Heads of Court and Judges of the High Court and Customary Courts of Appeal.

Nine of them are going to the Court of Appeal. They are Justices Asma’u Musa Mainoma, Paul Ahmed Bassi, Hannatu Laja-Balogun, Binta Fatima Zubair, Hadiza Rabiu Shagari, Peter Chudi Obiora, Okon Efreti Abang, Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Lateef Adebayo Ganiyu.
Justice Dije Abdu Aboki was recommended for appointment as Chief Judge of Kano,

Daniel Iyobosa Okungbowa for Edo and Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye for Edo.
The NJC also came up with a policy barring judicial officers from switching from High Courts to the Customary Courts of Appeal and vice versa.
However, the council added that the only exception is when a new Customary Court of Appeal is established in a state.

“Judges who indicate interest to go to the customary court of appeal will be allowed to proceed,” the council said.
“Once established, the candidates for the headship of the court must be drawn from that court only, even if all the judges of the court are junior to their counterparts in other courts.”