NJC constitutes committees to probe 15 judges over alleged misconduct

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has constituted 15 committees to investigate allegations of misconduct against 15 judges of Federal and State courts.

NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye in a statement on Friday, said the decision was taken at the council’s 99th meeting held between November 30 and December 1.

Oye said the decision to empanel the committees was sequel to the submission of recommendations of three Preliminary Complaint Assessment Committees (PCACs) which considered 66 petitions forwarded to them by the Council from all over the federation.

The statement reads in part: “The council however dismissed the petitions against 51 judicial officers, of the federal and state High Courts for either lack of merit, being subjudice, or being matters for appeal or that the concerned judge have retired from service.

“Council was formally presented with the reviewed Judicial Information Technology Policy, which established the general requirements and responsibilities for the Nigerian Judiciary systems and information.

“The policy provides for guidance of courts and judicial bodies in protecting Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability (CIA) of judiciary function and process.

“It also stipulates guidance for acceptable use of system, services and technologies as well as provisions for secure storage of judicial data and recovery processes in the event of emergencies or distress.

“It further provides guidelines and incident management policies including Data Centre deployment and use policies.

“The scope is intended for all courts and judicial bodies in Nigeria, including staff of the Nigerian Judiciary, employed or contracted to any judicial body handling information that is generated, received, stored, transmitted, or printed.

“It encompasses all personal or Judiciary identifiable data held in their courts and judicial bodies’ systems and process including supporting mechanisms and technologies for managing such data at rest or in transit.

“All staff are expected to comply with the policy and associated standard protocols and procedures that have been put in place to support the document.

“The policy is applicable to all courts unit, departments of all judicial bodies in the Nigerian Judiciary.

“Council noted appointments of judicial officers recommended for appointment at the last meeting who have been sworn –in as judges of federal and state High Courts.

“Reports from standing and ad-hoc Committees of the council were also presented at the meeting as well as notifications of retirement of 16 judges and notification of death of a judge from the federal and state High courts.”