The National Judicial Council (NJC) has put forward two judicial officers for immediate retirement over alleged age falsification.
The Director of Information, National Judicial Council (NJC), Mr Soji Oye, revealed this in a statement, on Sunday.
The Grand Kadi of Yobe State, Shu’aibu Talba, and Justice Abdulkareem Abdulrasaq of Osun State High Court, are the two judicial officials the Council endorsed.
The council, he said, took the decision at its 93rd meeting on December 16, 2020 which was held virtually.
“The council has suspended Hon. Grand Kadi Talba and Hon. Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq from office pending the approval of the recommendation of their compulsory retirements by their respective governors,” Oye disclosed.
The move, Oye explained, is an exercise of Council’s constitutional disciplinary powers.
Sequel to the decision, the council petitioned the governors of their respective states to subtract, from their gratuities, the cumulative salaries they had received, from when they were supposed to have retired, till date.
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“Grand Kadi Shu’aibu Talba was recommended for compulsory retirement following an investigation into a petition against him written by one Malam Zakar Adamu, Chairman, Movement for Justice in Nigeria, alleging that His Lordship falsified his age on two occasions, i.e. from February 1, 1955 to August 27, 1955 and later to December 30, 1959,” the statement noted.
“Findings revealed that he was supposed to have retired on February 1, 2020 by virtue of his declared date of birth of February 1, 1955.
“Council, after deliberation, decided to recommend His Lordship’s compulsory retirement to Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State.
“Furthermore, council requested the Government of Yobe State to deduct all salaries received by His Lordship from February 1, 2020 till date, from his gratuity, and remit same to the National Judicial Council that pays salaries of all judicial officers in the federation,” the statement read.
In Justice Abdulrasaq’s case, “the council considered a petition by Chief Yomi Alliyu, SAN, and found merit in his allegation against Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq that His Lordship falsified his date of birth from September 3, 1955 to September 3, 1957,” Oye said.
“Council, therefore, recommended His Lordship’s compulsory retirement to Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State with effect from September 3, 2020. It also requested the Osun State Government to deduct from His Lordship gratuity; salaries received by him from September 3, 2020, and remit same to the National Judicial Council,” the statement read.
As per the statement, NJC reviewed the reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees and approved the submissions to disregard 18 petitions against 14 judicial officers.
Four Federal High Court Judges, Justices Simon A. Amobeda, Taiwo O. Taiwo, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba, and Justice R. O. Dugbo Oghoghorie are among those whose petitions were set aside by the Council.
Justices T. O. Uloho and Michael N. Obi of the Delta State High Court, and Justice G. M. Onyeabo of Lagos State High Court are also included.
Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice A. I. Iyayi-Lamikanra, as well as Justice A. U. Kingsley-Chuku and Justice J. N. Ukpugwnum, make up the list of petition dismissed.
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