NJC suspends Justice Goji over rejection of posting, other misconducts
Sets up committee to probe judges, appoints 21 judicial officers
THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended Justice Michael Goji of the High Court of Adamawa State from office and recommended his compulsory retirement.
The decision, which was reached yesterday at its 86th meeting, followed Goji’s refusal to go on transfer to the Mubi Judicial Division of the State High Court since July last year. He was suspended and recommended for retirement to Governor Bindo Jibrilla following the advice of the State Judicial Service Commission to the NJC after its findings on the allegations of misconduct leveled against him.
The Adamawa State Judicial State Commission, investigated the conduct of the judge, following the directive of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, after receiving complains of his misconduct from the Adamawa State Chief Judge.
Besides the recommendation for retirement, the council also directed him to refund all salaries he had received from July 2017, till date, failing which the Adamawa State Government would deduct the amount from any entitlement due to him.
Thereafter, it would remit same to the NJC, which pays salaries of all judicial officers in the country.
A statement by the director of information, NJC, Soji Oye, noted that the council also considered reports of various probe panels at the end of which it dismissed petitions written against Justice Paul Adamu Galinje of the Supreme Court, Chief Judge of Jigawa State, Justice Aminu Sabo Ringim and Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Peter Umeadi.
The petition against Galinje was dismissed, following its withdrawal by Yaro Abarshi and John Yobi Yarafa, who had alleged that he (Galinje) interfered in a chieftaincy tussle in Taraba State, while that against Ringim was dismissed following its withdrawal by Dr. Jamil Gwamna.
Ringim allegedly ordered the arrest, assault, and detention of staff of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), when they disconnected the electricity supply to the State High Court and his residence for non-payment of bills.
But the panel found that the petitioner could not substantiate the claim.
“Council did not find any reason to further investigate Galinje and Ringim after the withdrawals,” the statement reads.
THE Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has threatened to shut down all oil wells in the Niger Delta if the Federal Government continues with the prosecution of Niger Delta indigenes in the Malabu oil deal.
The group embarked on a peaceful protest yesterday over the alleged persecution of former Minister of Petroleum, Dan Etete, in connection with the Malabu oil deal, saying enough was enough of prosecution of Ijaw people.
Chairman of IYC, Central Zone, Tare Porri, urged the Federal Government to stop further intimidation, oppression and probe of Etete and other Ijaw people, saying the former minister got his oil block licence, OPL 245 through due process.
The protesting Ijaw youths carried placards with inscriptions as: Stop Oppressingijawsons;ijaw Willnotbowto Intimidation;arrestetete Andprepareforshutdown Ofnigerdelta;ijawyouths Saynotooppression;we Feednigeria;malabooil Block,ourright and Ijaw Deserveoilblocks, among others.
Addressing the protesters, Porri said the Ijaw ethnic nationality would not allow any person or group of persons hiding under the Presidency to humiliate Ijaw people again.
He reminded the Federal Government that if it fails to stop the probe of Etete and decides to play politics with their modest demands, the government should stop taking oil from the region.
“Our position is that we will not be intimidated neither can we be blackmailed. We want to reaffirm our position that if the Nigerian state failed to stop persecuting our people, to stop persecuting Dan Etete and other Niger Delta and Ijaw people in the oil and gas industry or they should be prepared to stop taking oil from our area,” he said.