The National Judicial Council, NJC, has directed Justice Adeniyi Ademola of an Abuja Federal High Court, one of the judges arrested by the Department of States Services, DSS, on October 8 2016, has been directed to resume duties. Also recalled are five judges, some of whom the DSS had also arrested on allegations of corruption.
They are, Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court, Justice Uwani Abba Aji of the Court of Appeal, Justice Hydiazira Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court, Justice Musa Kurya of the Federal High Court and Justice Agbadu James Fishim of National Industrial Court of Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Director of Information, Soji Oye, NJC said it had directed the judges to resume duties.
Recall that the judicial body had suspended Ademola following charges of corruption brought against him by the Federal Government.
The NJC based its decision on the failure of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Justice Abubakar Malami, to charge five of the six judges with any offence as he indicated to the Council about eight months ago.
Of the eight judges, whom Malami had in October 2016 told the Council that he would prosecute, only three of them were charged, the NJC said.
They are Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, and Justice Ademola.
The Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice is yet to respond to the latest development. NJC blamed its inaction and failure to secure conviction as the reason for the recall.
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