The council also barred two of the affected judges from elevation for three years and issued warning letters and cautions to six other judicial officers over various breaches of judicial ethics.
The decisions were reached at the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and sighted by The PUNCH on Thursday, the council identified the suspended officers as Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.
The NJC said Kabir was sanctioned for ordering the detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of court orders without complying with the prescribed contempt procedures.
According to the council, its Investigation Committee established that the judge ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention without issuing and serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49 or instituting proper contempt proceedings.
“The Investigation Committee found that she ordered the litigant’s arrest and detention for alleged disobedience of court orders without the issuance and service of the mandatory Forms 48 and 49 or the institution of proper contempt proceedings,” the statement said.
The council explained that the alleged contempt occurred outside the judge’s presence and could not lawfully be handled through summary proceedings.
It added that the action violated the litigant’s right to a fair hearing, leading to Kabir’s suspension for one year without pay and a three-year restriction on her eligibility for elevation.
Similarly, Grand Kadi Salihu was suspended for one year without pay over his role in reopening a judgment previously delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.
The NJC said its investigation established that Salihu exceeded his judicial authority by setting up a committee to review the existing judgment and subsequently assigning the matter to a Higher Sharia Court judge.
The judge reportedly received fresh evidence and delivered another judgment in the matter.
“The committee held that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, which was subsequently set aside by the Jigawa State High Court,” the council stated.
The NJC said the conduct breached Rule 3.3.1 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.
It directed the most senior Kadi of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal to perform the duties of the Grand Kadi throughout the suspension period.
The third suspended officer, Justice Biambo, was sanctioned for issuing bench warrants and imposing fines on litigants in a civil dispute without following the required contempt procedures.
According to the NJC, Biambo ordered the arrest of the petitioners over alleged disobedience of an interim injunction and subsequently fined each of them N300,000 without instituting contempt proceedings or serving Forms 48 and 49.
The council said the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and should not have been summarily tried and punished.
Biambo was consequently suspended for one year without pay and barred from elevation for three years.
NJC cautions six other judicial officers
Beyond the suspensions, the council issued a warning to Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court over his handling of proceedings involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The NJC said Kawu granted interim bail to Malami despite being aware of an existing remand order issued by another judge of the same court.
The remand order was due to expire at midnight on December 24, 2025, but Kawu granted interim bail on December 23, 2025.
The council’s Investigation Committee reportedly found that the decision conflicted with the subsisting judicial order.
Consequently, the NJC directed that a warning letter be issued to Kawu and that his name be placed on its Watch List.
The council also approved warning letters for Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana of the Nasarawa State High Court over their failure to deliver judgment in an appeal within the constitutionally prescribed 90-day period.
It rejected their argument that the constitutional provision did not apply to appellate proceedings, noting that both judges admitted delivering judgment outside the stipulated period without providing a satisfactory explanation.
The NJC said their conduct violated Section 294 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and advised them to improve their case management and judicial diligence.
Similarly, Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court was cautioned for entertaining an application and issuing orders after being informed that an appeal had already been entered at the Court of Appeal.
The council’s committee reportedly described the action as a disregard for the appellate court, bordering on insubordination.
Justice C. A. Ogbuagor of the Enugu State High Court also received a caution for allegedly violating fair hearing principles and disregarding due process and the hierarchy of courts.
The NJC said Ogbuagor continued proceedings despite a pending appeal and an application for a stay of proceedings.
Another judicial officer, Justice Chibuike Azuama of the Imo State High Court, was cautioned and placed on the council’s Watch List for granting an ex parte garnishee order that froze the bank accounts of Puma Energy, a company that was not a party to the substantive suit.
The council said the order caused the company substantial financial losses.
NJC recommends 28 candidates for judicial appointments
In a separate decision, the council recommended 28 candidates for appointment as judicial officers across five states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The nominees include 24 candidates for appointment as High Court judges in Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states.
The remaining recommendations comprise one candidate for Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, one for Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and two candidates for the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.
The NJC said the recommended candidates should be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
The council also directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the state’s Acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, on the shortlist of candidates for appointment as substantive Chief Judge.
The directive followed a petition by Bob Kay Njemanze, who challenged Agugua’s exclusion from the shortlist submitted by the commission.
While acknowledging the constitutional responsibility of the State Judicial Service Commission to advise the NJC on suitable candidates, the council maintained that it retained the authority to determine the suitability of nominees presented for judicial appointments.
It consequently instructed its secretariat to formally write to the commission, requesting that Agugua’s name be included in the shortlist.
