NJC Recommends Appointments of Baba-Yusuf, Olurunfemi, Acha, Three Others as Chief Judges

* 32 others as judges

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointments of Justices Hussein Baba-Yusuf, Richard Olurunfemi and Itsebaga Acha as Chief Judges (CJs) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Kogi and Edo States respectively.

Also recommended for appointment as CJs for Ondo, Akwa Ibom and Ekiti States are Justices Akintoroye Akin, Ekaette Fabian-Obot and J. O. Adeyeye.

The recommendation, which was made at the council’s 95th meeting held on September 15 and 16, 2021, also considered the appointment of 32 others as judicial officers for various courts across the states and the FCT.

According to a statement from the Director Information, NJC, Mr Soji Oye, the other judicial officers include Babagana Mahdi as Grand Kadi, Yobe,; Umaru Liman as Grand Kadi, Bauchi; Justice Osagede Emmanuel as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Nasarawa; Justice Mashud Abass as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State; and Siyaka Usman as President, Customary Court of Appeal, Kogi State.

Three judges are recommended for High Court of Gombe and they are Zainab Rasheed, Abdussalam Muhammad and Daurabo Sikka.

Akwa Ibom has two — Asukwo Effiong and Princess Eme Ekong — while Bauchi has Nana Jibril, and Kaduna has Abdulkarim Mahmud and Eugene Michael respectively.

For Katsina State, the NJC recommended Kabir Shuaibu, Ibrahim Mashi and Ibrahim Mande, while Prof. Alero Akeredolu was recommended for Ondo State.

Four successful candidates for Oyo State High Court are Olusola Adetujoye, Folabimpe Olakojo, Prof. Taiwo Adewale and Kareem Adedokun.

Kogi State has three candidates for its High Court and they are Abubakar Ibrahim, Abdullah Sulyman, as well as Aminu Eri.

Two Kadis for Gombe Sharia Court of Appeal are Adamu Jibril and Ahmed Bala, while the four for Bauchi are Musa Abubakar, Mahdi Manga, Khamis Muhammad and Sani Musa with Ondo State having one in person of Orimisan Okorisa and Oyo Customary Court of Appeal having Ajadi Omolayo.

According to Oye, all the recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in after approval by President Muhammadu Buhari, and their respective state governors and confirmation by the respective state Houses of Assembly.