The National Judicial Council has recommended the compulsory retirement of Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, Acting President, Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State and Justice Aliyu Musa Liman of Bauchi State High Court of Justice with immediate effect.
The Council under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad said Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi, was recommended for compulsory retirement following the discovery of falsification of his date of birth from 1950 to 1958.
A statement issued by Director Information of the Council, Mr Soji Oye said the decision was adopted at its 91st Meeting held online on 22nd and 23rd April 2020.
Read Also: NJC Approves Appointment Of 33 Judicial Officers(Opens in a new browser tab)
It said findings showed that Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi was supposed to have retired in November 2015 when he clocked the mandatory retirement age of Sixty-five (65) years.
The Council decided to recommend for his compulsory retirement to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and to also deduct the salaries he had earned from November, 2015 to date from his retirement benefit.
Also it said Justice Aliyu Musa Liman was recommended to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed for compulsory retirement pursuant to the findings by the Council for his failure to deliver judgement in suit No BA/100/2010, between Abubakar Isa and Sheik Tahir Usman Bauchi within the three months period stipulated by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
‘’Council viewed His Lordship’s failure to deliver judgement for nearly four years as misconduct, contrary to Section 292 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended and Rules 1.3 and 3.7 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’’ said the statement.
According to the statement,’’ the National Judicial Council, in the exercise of its disciplinary powers under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, has suspended Hon. Justice Francis Chukwuma Abosi and Hon. Justice Aliyu Musa Liman from office pending the approval of the recommendation of the Council for his compulsory retirement to their respective State Governors.’’
However, the petitions against the following Judicial Officers; Hon. Justice O. A. Musa of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Hon. Justices Muhammed A. Sambo and Sa’ad Ibrahim Zadawa of the High Court of Justice, Bauchi State were dismissed for either lacking in merit or being subjudice.
Also, the Council also decided to report Messrs Apeiyi Becon Clement, Ifeanyi Egwasi, Nwafor Orizu, Godwin Nkemjika Chukwukwere, Akopde Haggai Ukuku, Chief Emefo Etudo, Osamudiamen Obarogie and B. S. Onuegbu to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) for various acts unbecoming of a Legal Practitioner ranging from unruly behaviour, walking out of Court in the cause of proceedings to submission of false documents to Court.
Council at the meeting also considered the Report of its Interview Committee and recommended Seventy (70) Judicial Officers for appointment as President, Court of Appeal, Grand Kadis, President, Customary Court of Appeal and Judges of High Court of States and the Federal Capital Territory and Kadis of States Sharia Courts of Appeal.
