The National Judicial Council (NJC) has taken disciplinary action against three High Court Judges for misconduct, suspending them for one year without pay and placing others under strict monitoring. The Council made these decisions during its latest meeting held in April 2025, following a detailed review of petitions and complaints against several judicial officers across the country.
Hon. Justice Jane Inyang, formerly of the Federal High Court, Uyo Division, and currently serving at the Court of Appeal in Uyo, was among those suspended. Justice Inyang was found guilty of violating Rule 3 (5) of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers. According to findings, she issued improper ex-parte orders in an ongoing case concerning the sale of a petrol station and other businesses belonging to Hon. Udeme Esset. This action took place during her tenure in Uyo before her elevation.
Another judge affected by the Council’s decision is Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. He has also been suspended for one year without pay. The NJC additionally placed him on a five-year watchlist and barred him from any elevation to higher courts during this period. The misconduct in question stemmed from his handling of Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021. In the matter, he was said to have delivered a ruling without hearing from the involved parties and ignored a related application challenging the court’s earlier proceedings. This contravened Rules 3.1 and 3.3 of the 2016 Judicial Code.
Similarly, Hon. Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court in Zamfara was suspended under similar terms. The Council found that he breached judicial standards in the case between the Zamfara State Government and the EFCC (Suit No. FHC/GS/CS/30/2021). He granted an order preventing security agencies from performing their duties and ignored established legal precedents. Justice Baffa has also been placed on a three-year watchlist.
In addition to these suspensions, the NJC issued a cautionary letter to Hon. Justice A. O. Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, regarding a case involving Chief Adesanya Musediku and the Assistant General of Police, Zone 2. Other petitions, including those against Justices Othman A. Musa and C. N. Mbonu Nwenyi, were either deferred or dismissed due to lack of evidence or pending appeals.
The NJC’s latest session also involved a broad review of complaints against the judiciary. A total of 43 petitions were reviewed. Nine committees were formed to further investigate 27 judges, while 29 petitions were dismissed for lack of merit.
A notable complaint by Mahmud Aliyu questioned the 2022 appointment of judges in Zamfara State, alleging favoritism and breach of NJC guidelines. The Council, after reviewing the matter, found the petitioner’s claims baseless and noted he was an interested party in the appointment process. It ruled that he be barred from future applications for intentionally spreading false information.
In another case, a petition filed by Abdullahi Liman about the 2021 recruitment of six Federal High Court judges was rejected on the grounds that it violated the time frame set by judicial discipline rules.
Finally, the Council approved the voluntary retirement of Hon. Justice Babatunde Ahmed Ademola Bakre and endorsed a name change for Hon. Justice I. A. Osayande, now Hon. Justice I. A. Dika of the Edo State High Court. The NJC also announced a new transparency measure, stating that all names under consideration for judicial appointments will henceforth be made public for feedback.
