National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judges for one year without pay over abuse of judicial powers, unlawful detention of litigants and violation of due process in the handling of court cases.
The affected judicial officers are Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.
The council announced the disciplinary decisions following its 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
According to the NJC, Justice Kabir was suspended for ordering the arrest and detention of a litigant for 58 days over alleged disobedience of a court order without following the required contempt proceedings.
The council found that she failed to issue and serve the mandatory Forms 48 and 49, which are required before a person can be punished for contempt of court.
It held that the alleged contempt occurred outside her presence and could not lawfully be handled through summary proceedings, adding that the action violated the litigant’s right to fair hearing.
Similarly, Grand Kadi Salihu was sanctioned for exceeding his judicial authority by reopening a judgment delivered by the FCT Upper Area Court.
The NJC investigation found that he constituted a committee to review the judgment and subsequently assigned the matter to another judge, who admitted fresh evidence and delivered another judgment.
The council held that the process amounted to an appeal against a valid judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction and violated the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, 2016.
In the third case, Justice Biambo was suspended for ordering the arrest of litigants involved in a civil dispute over alleged disobedience of an interim injunction.
He subsequently imposed fines of ₦300,000 on each of the litigants without instituting proper contempt proceedings or serving the mandatory Forms 48 and 49.
The NJC held that the alleged contempt occurred outside the court’s presence and ought not to have been summarily tried and punished.
Apart from the one-year suspension without pay, the council barred the three judicial officers from elevation for three years.
The disciplinary measures formed part of the council’s consideration of nine investigation reports on petitions against judicial officers over their handling of cases.
The NJC also approved cautions for eight other judicial officers and warning letters for three judges as part of its wider disciplinary actions.
