Council also warns and cautions eight others, including judge who granted Malami bail
The National Judicial Council has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay over misconduct, including unlawful detention of litigants, abuse of judicial powers and disregard for due process.
The decision was taken at the Council’s 112th meeting on November 3, 2026, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
The suspended officers are 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. All three were barred from nomination for elevation for three years.
Justice Kabir ordered a litigant detained for 58 days over alleged disobedience of a court order, without starting contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49. Justice Biambo arrested litigants and fined each N300,000 in a civil dispute without following the same procedure. Grand Kadi Salihu set up a committee to review a judgment of the FCT Upper Area Court and assigned the matter to another judge, who took fresh evidence and delivered a new judgment. The Council held that this amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment.
Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court was cautioned over a fresh ex parte garnishee application in a suit involving First Bank of Nigeria Plc, after an earlier one was withdrawn and struck out.
Justice Bello Kawu received a warning for granting interim bail to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, despite an existing remand order from another judge.
Justices Danjuma Oyigbenu and Isa Ebini Kana were warned for delivering judgment in an appeal outside the 90-day constitutional limit.
Justices Mohammed Zubairu (FCT), C. A. Ogbuagor (Enugu) and Chibuike Azuama (Imo) were cautioned or placed on the Watch List for orders made despite pending appeals or against a company, Puma Energy, that was not a party to the suit.
The Council considered 35 petitions, dismissed 24 for lack of merit, recommended four for further investigation and placed one in abeyance because it was sub judice. It also directed that investigation continue into a petition against Justice G. N. Ugbala of the Ebonyi State High Court, despite the petitioner’s notice of withdrawal.
The Council recommended 28 candidates for judicial appointments across several states and directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include Acting Chief Judge Ijeoma Agugua in its shortlist for substantive Chief Judge. It approved the retirement of six judicial officers, including two Supreme Court Justices
