The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 86 justices and judges for the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Sharia Courts of Appeal, and Customary Courts of Appeal of states across the country.
The NJC took the decision after considering the recommendation of its Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Friday, May 17, by NJC’s Director (Information), Soji Oye, the council recommended the appointment of 22 Justices for the Court of Appeal.
They include Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette of the Rivers State High Court, who is the wife of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba of the Federal High Court; Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory;
Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke of the Federal High Court, and Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court.
Others are Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna; Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola; Justice Eleojo Eneche; Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf; Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman; Justice Abdu Dogo; Justice Fadawu Umaru, and Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani.
Also on the list are Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar; Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka; Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu; Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi; Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor, and Justice Ntong Festus Ntong.
Equally elevated to the Court of Appeal are Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi; Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem, and Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola.
The NJC recommended the appointment of 12 judges for the High Court of the FCT; seven for Imo State High Court; six for Bauchi State High Court; three for Taraba State High Court; 13 for Lagos State High Court, and four for Kogi State High Court.
It equally recommended the appointment of two judges for Jigawa State High Court; five kadis for the Bauchi Sharia Court of Appeal; five kadis for Kogi State Sharia Court of Appeal; one kadi for the Jigawa State Court of Appeal, and three judges for the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal.
The NJC also recommended the appointment of two judges for the Taraba State Customary Court of Appeal and one for Kogi State Customary Court of Appeal.
Oye said the affected judicial officers will be sworn in after the approval of the NJC recommendations by the President and the relevant state Governors.
He said the NJC also resolved to issue warning letters to three judges and barred them from being elevated to a higher Bench for a certain period over alleged misconduct.
Justice Inyang E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court was issued a warning and barred from elevation for two years.
The NJC equally dismissed petitions against Justices W. N. Danagogo and Chinwendu Nworgu, High Court Rivers State, Justice C. C. Okaa of the High Court of Anambra State, and Justice Abdullahi Sulyman of the High Court of Kogi State.
According to him, the NJC deliberated on the notification of the retirements of three judicial officers, including that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria Hon Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the notification of the death of three judges of the federal and state courts.
