General
NJC Fires 3 Judges For Fraud, Misconduct
By Ebitonye Akpodigha
Three Nigerian judges have been sacked by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for alleged misconduct and fraud.
A statement signed on Friday by the Acting Director of Information of NJC, Mr Soji Oye, disclosed that the affected judges were involved in delivering controversial rulings and took bribe in the course of their adjudicating in cases brought before them.
The affected judges are Ladan Tsamiya of the Illorin division of the Court of Appeal, I. A. Umezulike of the Enugu High Court and Kabiru Auta of Kano State Federal High Court.
They were suspended by the commission, but also recommended for immediate retirement and dismissal during the 78th meeting of the NJC which held on Thursday, September 29.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the NJC, Mahmud Mohammed, had earlier stated that all judges involved in giving conflicting rulings in various suits that caused the leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would be adequately sanctioned.
The full statement by the NJC is reproduced below:
The National Judicial Council, under the Chairmanship of the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, GCON, at its 78th meeting which was held on 29th September, 2016 recommended compulsory retirement from office of Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Hon. Justice I. A. Umezulike, OFR, Chief Judge, Enugu State and the dismissal from service of Hon. Justice Kabiru M. Auta of the High Court of Justice, Kano state with immediate effect.
In the case of Hon. Justice Kabiru M. Auta, he is to be handed over to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 1, Kano, for prosecution.
Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal was recommended for compulsory retirement from Office to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, pursuant to the ‘Findings’ by the Council in the petition written by Nnamdi Iro Oji against him and Hon. Justices Husseini Muktar, F. O. Akinbami and J. Y. Tukur, all Justices of Court of Appeal who sat on Election Appeal Panel in the Owerri Division of the Court during the 2015 General Elections. The Petition contains the following allegations, among others.
Corruption, malice and vindictiveness; and giving perverse and conflicting decisions on the same issue in similar matters in Appeal CA/OW/EPT/SN/50/2015: Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex Vs Hon. Mao Onuabunwa & Anor;
CA/OW/EPT/SN/47/2015; Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu & Anor Vs Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa & Ors; and CA/OW/EPT/HR/61/2015: Nnamdi Iro Oji Vs Nkole Uko Ndukwe & 16 Ors.
During deliberations, Council found as follows:-
That there was evidence that the Petitioner met with Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya thrice, in his residence in Sokoto, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Owerri where on each occasion, he demanded from him the sum of N200,000.000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) to influence the Court of Appeal Panel in Owerri or risk losing the case;
That the allegations of giving two conflicting judgements on the same matter was not true as the two judgements were in respect of two different appeals: one was in respect of House of Representative Seat, a Federal Constituency, while the other was in respect of a Senate Seat which covered one third of the state.
That there was no allegation and no evidence that the Petitioner ever met or discussed with Hon. Justices Husseini Mukhtar (JCA), F. O. Akinbami (JCA) and J. Y. Tukur(JCA) in respect of the appeal before them.
In the Light of the foregoing that Hon. Justices Husseini Mukhtar (JCA), F. O. Akinbami(JCA) and J. Y. Tukur (JCA), were exonerated.
Hon. Justice I. A. Umezulike, OFR, Chief Judge, Enugu state was recommended to the Governor of Enugu State, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for compulsory retirement sequel to the findings by the Council on the following allegations levelled against him by Barrister Peter Eze.
That the Hon. Chief Judge failed to deliver Judgement in Suit No E/13/2008: Ajogwu V Nigerian Bottling Company Limited in which final Addresses were adopted on 23rd October, 2014. The judgement was however delivered on 9th March, 2015, about 126 days after addresses were adopted, contrary to constitutional provisions that judgement should be delivered within a period of 90 days.
That Hon. Justice Umezulike, OFR, in Suit No E/159M/2014, Ezeuko Vs Probate Registrar, High Court of Enugu State and 3 Ors ordered the arrest of Mr. Peter Eze by police and be brought before his Court after the matter was amicably resolved and judgement entered on terms of Settlement.
That the Hon. Chief Judge in a speech delivered by him to the Eastern Bar Forum on Friday 4th March, 2016, openly made uncomplimentary remarks containing vulgar language against the Petitioner, contrary to Rule 1.3 of the National Judicial Council Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.
That at the time of the book launch of the Hon. Chief Judge, donation of N10 million was made by Prince Arthur Eze during the pendency of the two cases in His Lordship’s Court, both of which Prince Arthur Eze has vested interest.
That there have been many instances of abuse of Judicial powers, by the Chief Judge, particularly against the two defendants in Suits Nos. E/6/2013 and E/88/2016. The Chief Judge clung to these two suits to remain in his court, despite all genuine efforts made by the defendants to get the suits transferred to another court.
That the Chief Judge sitting at a vantage position of Senior Judicial Officer and Head of Court for that matter, should not have allowed his emotions to dictate his judicial functions to the detriment of the defendants in both suits.
In the case of Hon. Justice Kabiru Auta of the High Court of Justice, Kano State, he was recommended to the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for dismissal and be handed over to the police for prosecution following the findings of the Council on the allegations levelled against him by Alhaji Kabiru Yakassai as follows:-
That the Petitioner paid the sum of N125, 000.000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty-five Million Naira) into an account approved by the Hon. Judge.
The Petitioner also made cash payment of N72,000,000.00 (Seventy-five Million Naira) to Hon. Justice Auta in several instalments through his Personal Assistant, Abdullahi Bello, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting a former Chief Justice of Nigeria who had just been appointed to secure accommodation and for the Petitioner to be in turn rewarded by the award of some contracts by the said Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria.
That Hon. Justice Auta facilitated telephone communications in his house between the Petitioner and purportedly the former Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria on the other end.
That Hon. Justice Auta facilitated meetings between the Petitioner and a lady who introduced herself as the purported Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria in a Prado Jeep, escorted by armed Police Officer in a hotel in Kaduna.
That after the Petitioner suspected foul play and reported the matter to the police, Hon. Justice Auta agreed to pay the Petitioner the sum of N95, 000.000.00 (Ninety-five Million Naira) as part of his claim while Abubakar Mahdi was to pay the sum of N125, 000.000.00 (One Hundred and Twenty-five Million Naira) to the petitioner.
That pursuant to the agreement, Hon. Justice Auta made a part payment of $11, 000.00 (Eleven Thousand U. S. Dollars) and N16,000.000.00 (Sixteen Million Naira) cash to the Petitioner and undertook to pay the balance before the commencement of the Fact Finding Committee set up by the National Judicial Council to investigate the allegations.
That Hon. Justice Kabiru Auta admitted accepting to pay the money as agreed in AIG’s Office in Kano according to him “having suffered humiliation, and incarceration and had nowhere to go for help and in order to protect my image and the image of the judiciary”. He however, said that the settlement was for him to pay N35 million and not N95 million and that to that effect, he paid N20 million so far including the $11,000.00; and
That Hon. Justice Kabiru stated in his evidence, that the purpose of the petitioner visiting his house at times was that as a friend, he used to seek favours for his people who had matters before him, a conduct that is in itself self-indicting and a serious abuse of Judicial Oath.
The above allegations against the three Judicial Officers constitute misconduct contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended and Rules 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 3.2, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 8.4a, 13.1, 15.2 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the National Judicial Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, has suspended Hon. Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Hon. Justice I. A. Umezulike, OFR, Chief Judge of Enugu State and Hon. Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court from Office with immediate effect, pending the approval of the recommendations of the Council for their compulsory retirement and dismissal respectively, from office by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR; Governor Lawrence Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, OFR, of Kano State, respectively.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Over 90 illegal mining sites have been reclaimed and 300 offenders prosecuted since the deployment of the Mining Marshals, a specialised task force established to secure Nigeria’s mineral assets.
This information was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, at the South West Leaders Conference held recently in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
He described the crackdown as a turning point in the battle against mineral theft and insecurity in mining communities.
“We created the Mining Marshals to tackle insecurity and illegal mining head-on. I’m proud to say that peace is returning to our mining fields,” he said.
According to Mr Alake, the initiative has strengthened investor confidence and improved government revenue.
“When you protect the minerals, you protect national wealth. That’s exactly what we’ve done with the Mining Marshals,” he stated.
He noted that beyond arrests and reclamations, the Marshals have restored safety in key mining corridors and curbed the activities of illegal foreign operators. “We are taking back control of our natural resources from criminal networks,” Mr Alake emphasised.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining the momentum through digital surveillance, stronger local intelligence, and inter-agency coordination.
“Our success proves that security is the bedrock of sustainable mining. We will keep refining this model until every site in Nigeria is safe, legal, and productive,” he added.
Launched last year, the marshals were given the mandate to stem theft and all nefarious activities around the nation’s minerals so that benefits are not extracted by the wrong people.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A petition has been filed against the chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Ahmed Farouk.
The petition was written by the president of the Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Mr Dangote asked the agency to look into the finances of the head of the petroleum industry regulator, alleging the man is living far above his legitimate means as a public officer.
In the protest letter filed by his legal counsel, Mr Ogwu Onoja (SAN), the businessman claimed the NMDPRA chief spent over $7 million to educate his children, four in number, in Switzerland.
The petition, dated and submitted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, and received by the office of the ICPC Chairman, also claimed that Mr Ahmed paid upfront for a six-month period, without any lawful source of income to justify such expenditure.
It also alleged that NMDPRA boss used his office to siphon and divert public funds for personal gain and private interests, actions which he claimed had fuelled public outrage and recent protests by various groups.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed has grossly abused his office contrary to the extant provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and, in doing enmeshed himself in monumental corruption and unlawful spending of Public funds running into millions of dollars.
“That Engr Farouk Ahmed spent without evidence of lawful means of income humongous amount of money of over 7million dollars of Public funds, for the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland for a period of six years upfront,” a part of the petition read.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement are gross acts of corrupt practices for which your Commission is statutorily empowered under Section 19 of the ICPC Act to investigate and prosecute,” another part added.
“Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five (5) years without option of fine,” it reminded the ICPC, urging it to act decisively by investigating the allegations against Mr Ahmed and prosecuting him if found culpable, stressing that the matter is already in the public domain, as this would help uphold justice and protect the image of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Dangote promised to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations of corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and impunity against the NMDPRA chief when required.
By Adedapo Adesanya
A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has died at the age of 71.
Justice Muhammad reportedly passed away at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, about two weeks before his 72nd birthday, which would have fallen on December 31.
His death was confirmed on Tuesday in Abuja by the Bauchi State Governor, Mr Bala Mohammed, in a condolence message issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Mukhtar Gidado.
Governor Mohammed noted that Justice Muhammad was a distinguished son of Bauchi State whose life and career were marked by dedication, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the rule of law.
“The late jurist was a venerable and accomplished legal icon who rose through the ranks of the judiciary with diligence and distinction, serving as a Judge of the High Court, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice of the Supreme Court, and ultimately as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 to 2022,” he said.
According to the governor, Justice Muhammad was widely respected for his legal acumen, discipline, and immense contributions to the growth and development of Nigeria’s judicial system.
He added that the conferment of the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on the late jurist was a testament to his outstanding service to the nation.
Mr Mohammed extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, his friends, colleagues in the legal profession, and the people of Bauchi State and Nigeria as a whole.
Also, the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS) lauded the former jurist in its condolence message.
In the statement titled NAMLAS Condolence Message on the Passing of Hon. Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, the association described his death as a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary and the nation.
“The Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students receives with profound sorrow the news of the passing of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, former Chief Justice of Nigeria. His demise is a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary, the legal profession, the Muslim Ummah, and the nation at large.”
NAMLAS described the late jurist as a towering figure of integrity, humility and unwavering commitment to justice, noting that throughout his judicial career, he exemplified fairness, courage and fidelity to the rule of law.
The association said that as Chief Justice of Nigeria, Muhammad discharged his responsibilities with wisdom and restraint, leaving behind a legacy that would continue to guide generations of legal practitioners.
Beyond his judicial service, NAMLAS highlighted his role as a mentor to young Muslim law students across the country, describing him as a fatherly figure and a source of encouragement.
“To NAMLAS, the late Chief Justice was more than a jurist; he was a fatherly pillar and a source of encouragement to Muslim law students nationwide,” the statement said.
The association extended its condolences to the family of the deceased, the Nigerian judiciary, the Federal Government and the Muslim Ummah, while praying for the repose of his soul.
Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 until his retirement in 2022.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn