The National judicial Council has approved the voluntary retirement of Justice Babatunde Ademola Bakre of the Ogun State High Court and Justice H. O. Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court.
The Council also recommended the compulsory retirement of 10 Judges of Imo State Judiciary.
Nine of the affected Judges of the Imo State Judiciary were found to have altered their dates of birth in their official records in order to confer on themselves the undue advantage of staying longer in service.
While Justice T. N. Neukwu was found to have made himself available to be sworn in as acting Chief Judge of Imo State High Court knowing fully well that he was number four in the hierarchy of Judges of the Imo State Judiciary
The nine Judges found to have falsified their records, comprising 5 High Court Judges and four Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State
The judges are:
Justice M. E. Nwagboso (High Court)
Justice B. C. Iheka (High Court)
Justice K. A. Leaweanya (High Court)
Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi (High Court)
Hon Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi (High Court)
Hon Justice Tennyson Nze (Customary Court of Appeal)
Justice Ofoha Uchenna (Customary Court of Appeal)
Justice Everyman Eleanya (Customary Court of Appeal)
Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal)
The NJC Council reiterated its earlier direction to the governor of Imo State Hope Uzodinma to swear in the most Senior Judge of the State as the acting Chief Judge.
The NJC in further deliberation barred a Judge of the National Industrial Court, Justice Isaac J. Essien, from being considered for promotion to a Higher Court for 3 years due to misconduct.
Justice Essien was found to have wrongly ordered the confiscation of over N1 billion belonging to the Nasarawa State Government and its Local Government Councils, despite being aware that there was a pending appeal and a pending application for stay of execution.
The NJC also noted that he refused to step aside from the case after the Nasarawa State Government raised concerns about possible bias. Justice Essien was a former staff member of the State University, which owed him gratuity, and he had earlier demanded payment using the official letterhead of the Court a clear breach of Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
The NJC further criticized him for personally visiting the Court of Appeal registry to confirm if an appeal had been filed in the case an action considered highly inappropriate for a Judge.
The Council has also recommended Mainasara Ibrahim Kogo Umar to the President for appointment as Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal.
