The National Judicial Council has bared Justices Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, G.B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court, and Amina Shehu of Yobe State High Court, from elevation to a higher bench for abuse of office and misuse of discretionary powers.

The sanction followed a warning to Justice Ekwo for abuse of discretionary power of a Judge by wrongly granting an ex parte order in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C/626/2023, Juliet Ebere Nwadi Gbaka & 2 Ors V Seplat Energy Plc & 12 Ors.

“The Hon. Judge is also barred from being elevated to a higher Bench for a period of two years” the NJC said.

Arising from its plenary of 105th meeting held on 15 & 16 May 2024, the NJC also warned Justice G. B. Brikins-Okolosi for failure to deliver judgement within stipulated period in Joseph Anene Okafor Vs Skye Bank, Suit No A/94/2010, after parties had filed and adopted their final written addresses.

Consequently, Justice Brikins-Okolosi will also not be elevated to a higher Bench for a period of three years.

Similarly, the NJC cautioned Justice Amina Shehu for issuing Writ of Possession Conferring Title on the Defendant in Suit No YBS/HC/NNR/1cv/2020, when there was no subsisting judgement of any court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ.

Meanwhile, the NJC, at the meeting, considered two reports of its two Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees that filtered 35 petitions written against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel eight Committees to further investigate the petitions that were found meritorious by the Committees.

"Petitions against various Judges were dismissed for lack of merit, evidence of misconduct, subjudice or that they were matters that could be appealed", the NJC said.