Sunday Ejike – Abuja
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of the Chief Judge of the Taraba State High Court, Justice F. B. Andetur with immediate effect.
Justice Andetur was recommended for compulsory retirement following the findings of an Investigation Committee to a petition written against him by Senator Muhammed Sanusi Dagash, that His Lordship suppressed judgement by failing to deliver judgement in Suit No: TRSJ/134/17: Mallam Kassim Yahaya Ahmad Vs Shittu Wurmo and Shuwari Farms Limited 30 months after the adoption of final addresses by the parties.
In a statement by the Director of Information of the NJC, Mr Soji Oye at the end of the 101st meeting of the Council, the Chief Judge breached the provisions of Section 294(1) of the Constitution and therefore recommended him for compulsory retirement with immediate effect to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State.
“In the interim, the Council in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, is suspending Hon. Justice Andetur from office pending his compulsory retirement. He is to hand over to the next most senior Judge in the state.”
According to Oye, the NJC considered the report of one of its Complaints Assessment Committees and agreed with the Committee’s recommendation to empanel four Committees to further investigate four of the seven petitions forwarded to it, and dismissed three others.
One of the three was dismissed for being subjudice and the remaining two were dismissed because the Judicial Officers had retired from service, and by virtue of Rule 18(2) (h) of the National Judicial Council Judicial Discipline Regulations 2017, the Respondent Judicial Officers are no longer under the disciplinary control of the Council.
Similarly, the NJC considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee and at the end of the deliberation, recommended the appointment of six Heads of Court and five Judges of Plateau State High Court.
The newly appointed Chief Judges are, Justices Ikpambese Maurice Ahemba for Benue state, Hafsat Abdulrahman for Adamawa, Abiodun Ayodele Adebara for Kwara state and Iyabo Subulade Yerima for Oyo state
Others are, Hon. Kadi Ibrahim Wakili Sudi was appointed as Grand Kadi, Sharia Court of Appeal, Adamawa state and Justice Audu James Balami as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Adamawa state
The newly appointed Judges for the Plateau state High Court, the statement said are, Justices Charles Donglong, Ashahabu Suleiman Wase, Shikamma Kassam Sheltu, Mary Abah Izam and Nanle Titus Komak
According to the NJC spokesman, the Council received notification of the retirements of eight Judicial Officers of the Federal and State Courts and notification of the death of a Court of Appeal Justice.
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