NJC recommends appointment of 4 S/Court justices

•Probes eight others

The National Judicial Council yesterday recommended the appointment of four new Court of Appeal justices to the Supreme Court.

They are Justices Adamu Jauro (North East), Justice Emmanuel A. Agim (South South), Justice C. Oseji (South South) and Justice Helen Ogunwumiju (South West).

NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye, said Justices John Tsoho and Bernedict Kanyip were also recommended as substantive Chief Judge and President of the Federal High Court and National Industrial Court respectively.

Oye said the decision was reached at the 22nd meeting of the NJC chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad.

The NJC also recommended the appointment of justices Esther Amenghawon Edigin, Edo High Court; Eunice Aderonke Alade, Customary Court of Appeal, Ondo and four lawyers as judges of Osun High Court: Mathias Olusegun Agboola, Sikiru Adeposi Oke, Olorunfemi Judith Ajanaku, and Lawrence Olawale Arojo.

Others are: Justice Bawa Sunday Baba (Nasarawa State High Court); Nkereuwem Martin Obot (Akwa Ibom High Court); Yahaya Adamu (Kogi High Court); Onyinye Samuel Anumonye and Victoria Tcohukwu Nwoye (Anambra High Court); and Goje Yahaya Hamman (Taraba High Court).

The NJC also recommended the appointment of three judges for the Abia State High Court, and one Kadi of thw Jigawa Sharia Court of Appeal. They are: Benson Anya, Enyinnaya Okezie Adiele Ogbonna, and Ibrahim Alhaji Ya’u.

The statement said all the appointed Judges were expected to be sworn-in after the approval of the president and their respective state governors and or confirmation by the Senate and state Houses of Assembly as the case may be.

The NJC said it considered 35 petitions against 37 judicial officers in the country out of which only eight were considered while others dismissed for lacking merit, being subjudice, were administrative matters or subjudice.

“Council also approved the recommendation of two committees earlier set-up to investigate Hon. Justice Winifred I. A. Effiong of Akwa-Ibom State High Court of Justice and Hon. Justice Bello Aliyu Gusau of High Court of Justice, Zamfara State which absolved them of any judicial misconduct,” the statement read.