The National Judicial Commission (NJC) directed IMO State Governor Hope Uzodinma to reverse the appointment of the acting chief judge of the state, Judge Theophilus Nnamdi Nzeukwu, and to appoint the highest judge as the acting chief judge of the state.
According to a statement by Kemi Ogedengbe Babalola, deputy director of NJC Information, the Council made its decision at its 108th meeting, held from 29 to 30 April 2025.
The statement mentioned that under the leadership of Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the NJC also directed that Justice Nzeukwu was asked to show that the cause should not be stated within seven days and why disciplinary action should not be taken to show that he was in the highest senior judge as CJ, thinking he was the position of the highest judge.
Justice Nzeukwu was sworn in by Governor Uzodimma on April 4, then acting chief judge of IMO State, after being sworn in by former Chief Justice Theresa Chikeka, who was removed from office by the National Judicial Commission (NJC) due to misunderstanding of age.
The statement added that the NJC also directed the Practical Court of Appeals, IMO State, Justice VU Okorie, who serves as interim chair of the IMO State Judicial Services Committee and recommended that the appointment of Justice Nzeukwu be made within seven days to show why disciplinary action should not be taken to disciplinary action against him.
The Council also suspended three judicial officials, including the Supreme Court of Appeal, each for one year without paying for various judicial acts.
The suspended was Judge Yiyang of the Uyo Judicial Court, after the findings of the investigation committee violated Article 3, paragraph (5) of the Code of Conduct Amended by Judicial Officials.
Inyang was found to abuse his office by issuing inappropriate external orders to sell Udeme Esset’s gas stations and other businesses by issuing inappropriate external orders at the interval stage of the case.
“The act of judicial misconduct occurred when his nobility presided over the lawsuit in FHC/UY/CS/46/2023, before the federal high court of the UYO Judicial Division was promoted to the Court of Appeal.
Also, Hon. Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court of Abujas was also suspended for one year without a salary. His nobles have also been on the Watch List for five years and have been banned from elevation for five years.
The complaint against Justice Ekwo stems from allegations FHC/ABJ/CR/184/2021, in which his nobles ruled in the pending application without hearing the parties.
His lord ignored the application to withdraw the court proceedings without a party. His lord then continued to make a ruling, dismissing the charges against the defendant.
Therefore, it was found that his rule violated articles 3.1 and 3.3 of the 2016 Amended Code of Conduct stipulated judicial officials in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”
The NJC also suspended Justice Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court of Zamfara Division, year by year, in violation of Articles 3 (1) and 5 of the 2016 Code of Conduct for Judicial Officials without paying for judicial misconduct.
This also put him on the watch list for three years, during which time he would be banned from altitude.
Justice Baffa was liable for judicial misconduct in lawsuit number FHC/GS/CS/30/2021 (Zamfara State vs EFCC Government), in which he approved an order to restrict the security agency to perform its statutory duties and ignores the Starare Dectrine of Subercisis ne lawsuit in the case.
The Council issued a warning letter to Judge Han. In the petition filed by a Kasali Azeez Olagoke and S. hamza, judge of the Federal High Court of Lagos, Judge Abimbola Awogboro, in the lawsuit number FHC/CS/2021.
