By Uthman Baba- Naseer,Minna

As part of measures put in place to instill discipline in the Niger State Judiciary, the state Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) has taken a bold step to uphold its integrity.

Already, the Niger State Judicial Service Commission NJSC, has used its sledgehammer on a Chief Magistrate, a Shariah, Court Judge, and senior Registrar an five others for Judicial misconduct.

In an emergency meeting held at the NSJSC Secretariat on the 28th July 2025, a stringent measures was taken against the Chief Magistrate and the Senior Registrar aimed at upholding the integrity and accountability of the Judicial officers.

Among the major step taken by the state Judicial Service Commission Chief Magisrate Isaac Yisa of Chief Magisrate Court in Kontagora, Judicial division alongside with the Registrar Mohammed Alhaji Ahmed were dismissed from the service with immediate effect.

In a Press release signed by the Secretary of the Niger State Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) Barrister Hauwa Kulu Isah, stated that their dismissal was as a result of their involvement in a serious official misconduct.

According to the Secretary, the Registrar was as a result of receiving a gratification from a litigant to grant him bail, refusal granting bail without due regards to the laid down procedure, lack of proper ecord of proceedings among other official misconduct.

Similarly Barrister Hauwa Kulu Isah, explained that Mohammed Alhaji Ahmed, was said to have requested and recieved the sum of ten thousand (N10,000) through his account as gratification before filling bail bonds and production warrant to release a litigant from detention.

Also, the commission sledgehammer felled heavily on Fatihu Hassan a Judge of Upper Shariah Court, Wushishi for recieving the sum Eight Hundred thousand naira in a land related dispute case before him and his failure to determine the matter between the parties.

The dismissed staff’s actions according to the Secretary of the NSJSC,were found to be in contravention of section 58 (1) (2) (4) (6) and(8) of the Niger State Judicial Service Regulations 2018 and “consequently dismissed under section 61 of the Regulations”

Furthermore Hauwa Kulu Isah disclosed that the Commission compulsorily retired Hajiya Ramatu Suleiman, the Registrar of Shariah Court Bida for conflicts of interest and complexities in a matter of administration of estate of Late Alhaji Hussain Babvana Katcha.

She said the Hajiya Ramatu Suleiman is found to have been engaged in another employment known as (RIFAN COORDINATOR) while still in the services of the Niger State Judiciary,act that contravened section 58(1)4 and liable for dismissal under section 61 of Commission’s Regulations 2018.

The Commission, she said had earlier during its 151st meeting held on the 1st of July, 2025 sanctioned Sadiq Samaila of Kontagora Magistrate court two,Idris Alhaji Idris of Shariah Court Lapai, Senior Registrar and a court clerk to different forms of displinary action ” having found them culpable by the Investigation committee that investigated the petition against them”

However, Sani Aliyu ,a Judge of Upper Shariah Court Salka, and his Registrar escaped the sledgehammer of the disciplinary committee as petition against them by Barrister Solomon Jiya was dismissed for lack of merit.

The Petition with the captioned ” Petition Against the Shariah Court Judge,Salka ( Suleiman Aliyu) ,the Registrar ( Saidu Idris), and Sani Aliyu (GT) for abuse of Judicial process, Aiding Criminal Activities Obstruction of Justice and other gross Misconduct” was dismissed.

The Hauwa Kulu declared that the Commission found the claims to be unsubstantiated and consequently issued a serious warning to the petitioner and the general public to refrain from filing frivolous fictious and sensational Petitions capable of tarnishing the image of its state Judicial officers and staff as well as using the courts to disrupt the peaceful coexistence of people of different faith in the state.

By Our Correspondent

Wailing,panic,fears griped residents of Etiti Central Community, Ngwo, in Udi Local Government, Enugu State,following the assassination of 25-year-old 200-level Accounting student of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Ebonyi State.

Mother of the slained student,Mrs Felicia Onoh was filled with tears as she struggled to understand why her son, Sochima, was gunned down in cold blood, right in the middle of a community land dispute that had dragged on for years.

The 25-year-old 200-level Accounting student of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, Ebonyi State, had joined other members of Etiti Central Community, Ngwo, in Udi Local Government, Enugu State, to inspect the extent of destruction allegedly carried out by their neighbours from Umugwuakum Attakwu/Akwuke, in Enugu South. But what started as a peaceful inspection turned deadly.

Gunmen opened fire on the group. Sochima did not survive the onslaught. His mother sobbed: “I don’t know what happened. I was in the market and my late husband’s sister called me to start coming. I asked her why was she calling me to come back now? I told her that it was raining but, after the rain. I came back and they told me that Sochima was dead.

“I asked, which type of death. They told me that he was shot by the people of Umugwuakum in the farm. They said that he followed the village people to the place. I want the government to give me my son, let me see him and bury him.”

Her son’s killing reignited anger in Etiti Ngwo, a community that insists it has suffered repeated attacks despite multiple court rulings, including from the Supreme Court, affirming its ownership of the disputed land.

Sochima and others had gone to document the level of demolition allegedly carried out by their neighbours. But as they made their way home, they were ambushed. He was shot and killed.

The community, heartbroken and furious, staged a peaceful protest, calling on Governor Peter Mbah to intervene before tensions explode into a wider crisis. Chairman, Etiti Central Community, Daniel Onyejiuwaka Eze, described the killing as senseless: “On Thursday, July 10, 2025, we went to the office of Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, who is the head of boundary committee of Enugu State, and had the judgement over the dispute we have with the people of Umugwuakum Akwuke in Enugu South LG.

“This is a land that the Appeal Court has given us judgement. The Supreme Court also upheld the judgement. They later protested through their legal counsel to the boundary committee that we are trespassing on their boundary. The state government came in and intervened and just that same day they gave us judgement.

“Surprisingly, since that day, they went to the scene and started demolishing all the properties we have there. They went ahead with demolishing, until we decided as law-abiding citizens to contact the secretary of the boundary committee and tell him what was happening.

“He asked us not to retaliate and we adhered to that. We then called on the police to assist us so that we can go to the scene to have documentary evidence to show the people of Enugu State what was happening to us.

“After we had finished and asked the police to go back to their station, we started going back to our various houses. Because we used to go through the pathway, there is a little hill just down there. As the last batch of people were coming back, the people of Umugwuakum and their team laid ambush and started shooting sporadically until they shot Sochima Onoh who died right there.”

“Part of this problem is being caused by managing director, Enugu Geographical Information System (ENGIS), Prince Chiwetalu Nwatu, who despite the activities of Deputy Governor to resolve this issue, went ahead and started reallocating the land or admitting people of Umugwuakum and giving double allocation to the people who have been defeated in the court. This is where they gathered momentum to start attacking our people.”

Obinna Onyia, who narrowly escaped death in the attack, was still in shock as he recounted what happened: “The land was slippery because it rained and he fell down, I told him (Sochima) to stand up and he stood up. We continued running and fell down again and went inside the bush to hide and I told him to come out.

“I also fell down because I was tired. Every other person ran away but Chinedu came back and told me he was not going to run again until all of us are safe. Then those people came and met Sochima where he was hiding in the bush and shot him. I saw them but couldn’t do anything because theywere all armed with machetes and guns.”

But the Akwuke community denied any involvement. Its President-General, Ogbodo, described the allegations as “false and malicious.” They claimed there was no clash that day and that their youths were at a monthly meeting:

“We empathise over the alleged death if truly there was one. We pray for the repose of the soul of the departed, who died avoidable death.”

Nwatu also denied any wrongdoing: “The land in question is a Crown Land and as such belongs to the government. Rather than taking over the land and demolishing every property there, the administration of Governor Peter Mbah in its magnanimity is asking everyone with a property there to come forward for registration.”

The Enugu State Police Command confirmed the incident. Spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe said: “On July 12, 2025, at about 3:35 pm, the police received a distress report from Isiama Agu‑Ovolo in Etiti Ngwo community, alleging that youths from Umu‑Ugwu Akum Akwuke stormed their area at Ovolo Layout and shot one Onoh Sochima.

“Police operatives responded immediately and found the victim’s lifeless body with suspected gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital, confirmed dead, and his body deposited in the mortuary for preservation and autopsy.”g

He said investigations are on going and appealed for calm.

By Uthman-Baba Naseer,Minna

The official vehicles and the residential accommodation for the judges ,are the requirements by the National Judicial Council before the confirmation of their appointment by the NJC.

Already,fear and apprehension has gripped the nominated High Court Judges in Niger State as their hope of becoming High court Judges is now hanging in uncertainty.

The National Judicial Council (NJC), had in January 2025 approved the appointment of some numbers of High court Judges across the country in which Niger State also submitted names of eight applicants.

Eight of the applicants’ names submitted were subjected to vigorous Interviews by a panel headed by the Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik sometime in October,2025.

Among those applied for the High court Judges are some legal practitioners from the Public and private Bar as well as some directors from the Service of the Niger State Judiciary.

After the conduct of the interview,it was gathered that eight of the successful applicants were forwarded to the National Judicial Council (NJC), for onward approval.

It was further gathered that, after their names were forwarded,the NJC, then requested for a written objection from the members of the Public concerning the Conducts of the names submitted for consideration.

However, since the submission of the names in the past six months, the nominated applicants are yet to know their fate as no further information from the NJC concerning their appointment.

Some states, according to our findings
have already appointed their high court Judges and sworn into office and have commenced court proceedings in their respective states.

Among the states that have already appointed their High Court Judges include Kano,Kebbi, Katsina,Nasarawa and Ekiti States.

These according to our findings,” they applied for the appointment of their High Court Judges before the NJC along side with Niger State but yet Niger State has not”

” We don’t really know what is delaying this appointment. Other state that got the approval to appoint High Court Judges from NJC have appointed the Judges but we don’t even know what is delaying that of Niger State” a source who crave anonymous told our reporter.

It was reliably gathered that some times in April, 2025, eight were shortlisted for the appointment by the National Judicial Council (NJC) to be appointed in to the Niger state High Court out of which four will be consider.

While, four others will be on reserve pending the decision of the NJC for their appointment.

Among those names, include Ahmed Jibrin Ndatsu Ndajiwo a Magistrate in FCT, Adamu Abubakar a director in the Niger State Judiciary,. Abdullahi Babani of the Customary Court headquarters in Abuja,and Suleiman Buhari a Principal state counsel in the Niger State Ministry of Justice.

Others are Barrister Hauwa Kulu Isah,the Secretary Niger State Judicial Service Commission, Barrister Ahmed Isah Evuti head of the legal department of the Niger State Urban Development Board, and Barrister Sa’adatu Gambo director Multi door Court House in the Niger State Judiciary.

The Niger State, has a total of thirteen High courts of Justice. with eight situated at the headquarters with three in Suleja Judicial division,while Bida,Borgu and Kontagora Judiciary divisions has one each.

Also, it was gathered that Kuta,Kutigi, Lapai and Rijau were newly constructed.

The High court in Lapai and Kuta, are being over seen by Justice Danladi Ahmed Badegi of Suleja High Court division and Justice Isaac Jiya of New Bussa High court division.