NJC clears Justice Ademola, 5 others to resume work

With the discharge and acquital of all criminal allegations against Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Federal Government, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has directed that he should  resume his duties with effect from Wednesday 7 June, 2017, in order to clear the backlog of cases in his court for the past eight months.

A statement by the Director of Information of the Council, Soji Oye, said the NJC arrived at the decision at the end of its 82nd meeting held on May 31 and 1st June, 2017, which considered the case of the eight Judicial officers who were directed to recuse themselves from duties on the request of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN) pending the outcome of investigations against them.

The statement noted that, after deliberations, the NJC noted that out of the judicial officers directed to recuse themselves with effect from 2nd November, 2016, only Justice Ademola’s trial has been concluded.

The affected judicial officers were asked to recuse themselves from sitting to maintain the integrity and sanctity of the Judiciary and sustain public confidence.

Other Judicial Officers, apart from Justice Ademola are Justices Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court.

The Council, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen decided that the various Heads of Court should direct  Justices John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal, Hydiazira A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Ademola of the Federal High Court, Musa H. Kurya of the Federal High Court and  Agbadu James Fishim of National Industrial Court of Nigeria to resume their duties with effect from Wednesday 7th June, 2017, as there are already backlog of cases in their various courts for the past eight months.

Oye also said in the statement that the NJC warned  Justice M. N. Esowe of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the High Court of Justice, Rivers State and Justice Bassey Frank Etuk of the Akwa-Ibom State High Court for different offences and placed two of them on the “Watch List” of the Council.

“Council’s decision to give Justice Esowe a serious warning and put her on its “Watch List” for one year, was sequel to a petition written against her by Mr. Jimmy Dirisu Aliu, alleging injustice for failing to deliver ruling in Suit No. NICN/ABJ/394/2013, until eight months after the final address of counsel on Notice of Preliminary objection to his suit.

“Council also decided to give Justice Adolphus Enebeli serious warning and place him on its “Watch-List” for three years following its ‘findings’ that he violated the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by granting ex-parte order in Suit No. PHC/983/2016, preventing the swearing-in of Victoria Wodo Nyeche as a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, when the claim in the suit did not border on qualification or pre-election matter,” the statement said.

According to the NJC, the Judge was said to have granted the ex-parte order on 19th April, 2016, three days to the swearing-in ceremony and adjourned the case to 21st April, 2016 when the ceremony had been concluded.

Justice Bassey Frank Etuk was warned following a petition written against him by Oro Youth Movement for failure to deliver judgment in Suit No. HOR/FHC/97/2014, a Fundamental Human Right case, after hearing it to conclusion and adjourned same for judgment to the 8th June, 2015.