NJC Bars Justices Inyang Ekwo, G.B. Brikins-Okolosi from Promotion

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has wielded the big hammer, barring two Federal High Court judges from being promoted to a higher bench over abuses of office and misuse of discretion powers.

The affected judges are Justices Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja and G.B. Brikins-Okolosi of Delta State High Court.

Justice Amina Shehu of the Yobe State High Court, was however, cautioned.

The sanction is coming on the heels of previous warning to Justice Ekwo, for abuse of discretionary power 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.

At the outcome of its 105h plenary which took place 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.

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

In a similar action, the NJC sounded a note of caution to 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 another court to enable His Lordship issue the Writ.

NJC also considered two other reports from its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees at the meeting.

Of the 35 petitions filed against Judges of the Federal and State High Courts, the NJC decided to empanel eight committees to further investigate those the committees considered to have merit.

However, the NJC dismissed a number of petitions against various Judges for lack of merit, show no evidence of misconduct, are subjudice or are matters that could be appealed.