T0P STORY: NJC Hit Judges With Hard Sanctions For Issuing Conflicting Judgement

A statement released by the Director of Information, NJC, Mr. Soji Oye, named three High Court Judges; Justice Okogbue Gbasam (Rivers State), Justice Nusirat I. Umar (Kebbi State), and Justice Edem Ita Kooffreh (Cross River State).

Recall that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Muhammad had in August 2021, summoned the Judges for issuing conflicting exparte orders in a case involving the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus. 3 other Judges (Imo, Anambra and Jigawa) were also summoned; however, they were not included in the sanction.

According to Oye, Justices Gbasam and Umar will not get promoted to a higher bench for the next two years, while Justice Kooffreh won't get promoted for the next five years. Aside barring them from getting promoted for a number of years, the judges have also been placed on watch-list.

The statement read in part;

"The National Judicial Council rose from its two days meeting held on 14 and 15 December 2021, with a resolution to bar the three Judges of Courts of concurrent jurisdiction who granted conflicting Exparte Orders in matters with same parties and subject matter from promotion to higher Bench for a period ranging from two to five years whenever they are due.

"Even though there was no written petition, allegations of corruption or impropriety against the subject Judges, Council nevertheless, initiated investigation pursuant to its inherent disciplinary powers under the Constitution to unravel the circumstances that led to the spate of Exparte Orders granted by these Courts of coordinate jurisdiction over matters bearing same parties and subject matter.ÔÇØ