Fifteen judges of the federal and state high courts have been accused of grave misconduct, and the National Judicial Council (NJC) has established probe panels to look into the claims.
The purpose of the investigation panels is to assess the Judges’ guilt or innocence in the many complaints that have been made against them by people and organizations.
The NJC Director of Information, Mister Soji Oye, revealed this in a statement on Friday, claiming that the Council’s 99th meeting, which was presided over by Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, took the decision to look into the allegedly erring judges.
According to him, the choice was made after three preliminary complaint assessment committees, which had been given 66 petitions from around the Federation by the Council, had submitted their suggestions.
The NJC spokesperson, however, omitted to identify the judges under investigation, their divisions, or the precise nature of their alleged offenses.
He pointed out that 51 petitions against judges from the federal and state high courts were rejected by the Council because they lacked substance, were pending litigation, required an appeal, or the judge in question had left the bench.
Oye claims that the revised Judicial Information Technology Policy, which set the fundamental requirements and obligations for the Nigerian judicial systems and information, was formally presented to the Council.