We cant suspend arrested judges without investigation, NJC tells NBA

Reacting to Nigerian bar association NBA request to suspend judges accused of corrupt practices, The Nigerian Judicial council  has said it cannot suspend the serving judges  accused of corruption without investigation. 

The Acting Director of information, Mr. Soji Oye states that, “ NJC is forced to inform the general public that its constitutional mandate  is to process and recommend to the executive at the federal and states levels, the appointment , and or  removal of judicial officers from office , including exercise of its disciplinary control of suspending and or warning judicial officers after complying with due process and the rule of law”, Mr. Oye said.

He further continued, “ since the creation of the council vide the 1999 constitution it has exercised its powers and performed its functions within its constitutional boundaries”.

“ this current position of the NBA vis-à-vis its recommendation that the affected judicial officers involved in the ongoing investigation of judicial officers by the department of state security service  DSS, be requested to proceed on compulsory leave until the conclusion of all disciplinary proceedings against them, is unacceptable to the NJC, as it breaches 2014 revised judicial discipline regulations formulated by NJC pursuant to section 160 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria as amended”.

He added, “it is to be reiterated also that the provisions of section 158 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, as amended, NJC shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person while exercising  its disciplinary power of control over judicial officers of the federation”.

“ members of the public are hereby informed that the mechanism that will determine a judicial officer to be redirected or requested to proceed on compulsory leave or be suspended from office, is a disciplinary power that NJC only exercise after initiating disciplinary proceedings on the complaint or petition forwarded against the judge, after he has been found culpable”.