Benue CJ: Group Wants Lawyers Punished over Illegal Conduct

George Okoh in Makurdi

A group, Benue Arise Network, yesterday called on the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) to institute disciplinary actions against a team of lawyers over their alleged misconduct against the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, and the National Judicial Commission(NJC).

The Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Joseph  Igbudu, in a statement he issued and made available to journalists in Makurdi, said their attention has been drawn to media reports on a suit by a group, Optimum Media Limited, seeking the court to compel the state Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to request the state House of Assembly to  investigate the state Chief Judge, Justice Ikpambese.

Igbudu said, according to the report, that the suit which iwas filed by a team of lawyers led by Uwem U. Umoanwan, is marked FHC/MKD/CS/56/2024, before the Federal High Court, Makurdi Division.

He stated that on “February 12, 2024, the Benue Arise Network (BAN) drew the attention of the world to a malicious, frivolous and ill-fated petition to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) by a group under the umbrella of Benue Diaspora Vanguard (US chapter) against Justice Ikpambese, dated November 30, 2023, bordering on alleged judicial misconduct, gross disobedience of court judgment, abuse of power and financial mismanagement.

Parts of the statement read: “We also informed the public that the ssame petition was served on the governor of Benue State, calling on him to investigate the allegations against the Chief Judge of Benue State by the same group.

“As expected, that petition was decided by the NJC, and it met its ill-fated status as it was dismissed. The NJC under the chairmanship of Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, at it’s plenary on May 15 and May 16, 2024, resolved all pending petitions/issues, and Justice Ikpambese was not among the three Judges disciplined by the NJC.

“These facts are still in public domain and can easily be verified by media reports or just by visiting the website of the NJC, njc.gov.ng.

“We find it strange and embarrassing on the integrity of the Nigerian Bar Association that a lawyer will file a suit on issues already decided by the NJC.

“Interestingly, the same petition dated November 30, 2024, addressed to the NJC and was dismissed by the NJC is marked as Exhibit ‘A’, while the letter to the governor, urging him to investigate the CJ of Benue State are annexed  and marked as Exhibit ‘B’ in the suit before the Federal High Court in Makurdi.

“We wish to state that the lawyer who filed the suit praying the court to order the governor to request the House of Assembly to investigate the Chief Judge of the state ought to know as lawyers  that the disciplinary body for Judges is the NJC and not the state governor or House of Assembly.

“The team of lawyers led by Uwem U. Umoanwan ought to be ministers in the temple of justice and should know the appropriate disciplinary body for Judges.

“It is our belief that the suit is accentuated by malice and the conduct of the lawyers is infamous and worthy of disciplinary actions.”

The group, therefore, called on the respective NBA branches of the affected  lawyers to sanction the affected lawyers.

They, however, urged Justice Ikpambese not to be deterred or blackmailed to give into the whims and caprices of those who are bent on discrediting his hard-earned reputation and that of the Nigerian judiciary at large.