NJC recommends 28 judges, suspends three without pay
- The National Judicial Council recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments after its 112th meeting in Abuja.
- Three judicial officers were suspended for one year without pay over various infractions.
- The council also directed Imo's Judicial Service Commission to shortlist the acting Chief Judge.
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended 28 candidates for appointment as judges and other judicial officers across several states, and approved one-year suspensions without pay for three serving judicial officers.
The decisions were taken at the council's 112th meeting on November 3, 2026, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, according to a statement by the NJC's Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe.
Most of the candidates, 24 of the 28, are for High Court benches in Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states. One was recommended as Grand Kadi of the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal, one as Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, and two as judges of the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.
Why this matters
Judges decide cases that affect ordinary Nigerians every day, from land disputes and criminal trials to election petitions. Filling court benches, especially in states with heavy case loads, can mean shorter waits for people seeking justice.
The statement said the recommended candidates should be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.
The council also waded into a dispute in Imo State, directing the state's Judicial Service Commission to include the Acting Chief Judge of the state High Court, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in its shortlist for the substantive Chief Judge position.
The NJC said it acted on a petition dated June 11, 2026, by Mr Bob Kay Njemanze, who challenged Justice Agugua's exclusion from the list. The council noted that while the state commission advises it on suitable candidates, the NJC retains the authority to determine their suitability.
Discipline
On discipline, the council considered nine investigation reports on petitions against judicial officers over how they handled cases.
It approved a one-year suspension without pay for 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.
Two of the suspended officers also face additional restrictions on their elevation, the statement said.
What happens next: The recommended candidates await swearing-in by their state governors, while the Imo Judicial Service Commission is expected to add Justice Agugua's name to its shortlist. The suspended officers are to serve their one-year suspension without pay.
