NJC sanctions two judges, announces fresh probes, new appointments (FULL LIST)

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The National Judicial Council (NJC) has barred two judges from elevation to the Court of Appeal over breaches of judicial process.

The sanctioned judges are Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court and Godwin Brikins-Okolosi of the Delta State High Court.

The NJC took the decisions and other ones, including announcing new judicial appointments and launching new probe of some judges, at its 105th meeting held on 15 and 16 May. The meeting was presided by the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the council.
The NJC, a statutory body concerned with appointment and discipline of judges, said Mr Ekwo was found culpable of “abuse of discretionary power of a judge by wrongly granting an ex-parte order.” The council said it barred him from being promoted to the appellate court for two years.
The case in question, marked FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023, was filed by Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka and two others against Seplat Energy Plc and 12 orders.
Media reports indicate that Mr Ekwo issued the controversial ex-parte order on 11 May 2023 suspending the managing director of Seplat, chairman of the company, and other members of the company’s board from office.
In May 2023, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reportedly reversed the order.
For Mr Brikins-Okolosi, the NJC sanctioned him for “failure to deliver judgement within stipulated period” of three months, “after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.” He is barred from promotion for three years, according to the NJC.
The JC said he failed to deliver judgement within stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, a suit marked A/94/2010, after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.
The council said it issued both of Messrs Ekwo and Brikins-Okolosi separate warning letters.