The Niger State Judicial Service Commission has dismissed two Judges and a Senior Registrar for offences bordering on gross misconduct. A statement by the Secretary of the Commission, Hauwa Isah, indicates that the stringent measures were taken to uphold the integrity and accountability of its state judicial officers and other staff.
According to the statement, the decision follows thorough and extensive deliberations by the Members of the Commission on the reports of the Investigation Committees constituted by the Commission to investigate the petitions on allegations of various misconducts and abuse of judicial power against the staff in question.
It was gathered that amongst the key decisions, Chief Magistrate Isaac Yisa of Chief Magistrate Court Kontagora was dismissed from service with immediate effect alongside the Court Registrar Muhammad Ahmed.
According to the report, their dismissal stems from Serious Misconduct, which includes receipt of a gratification from a litigant to grant bail, refusal to grant bail without due regards to the laid-down procedure, lack of proper record of proceedings, among others.
The Registrar, Muhammad Ahmad, was also found to have requested and received the sum of Ten Thousand Naira through his account as gratification before filling a bail bond and production warrant to release a litigant from detention.
Similarly, the Commission equally dismissed from service Fatihu Hassan, a Judge of Upper Sharia Court, Wushishi, for receiving the sum of Eight Hundred Thousand Naira in a land dispute matter before him and failure to determine the matter between the parties.
The statement added that the dismissed staff’s actions were found to be in contravention of various sections of the Niger State Judicial Service Regulations 2018 and consequently dismissed the affected staff under Section 61 of the Regulations.
Furthermore, the Commission compulsorily retired from service Ramatu Suleiman, the Registrar of Sharia Court Bida, for conflicts of interest and complexities in a matter of administration.
According to the commission, she was found to have been engaged in another employment as RIFAN Coordinator while in the services of Niger State Judiciary, an act that contravenes section 58 (1) V and liable for dismissal under Section 61 of Commission’s Regulations 2018.
Earlier, the Commission during its 151st Meeting held on July 1 equally sanctioned Sadiq Samaila of Magistrate Court 2 Kontagora, Idris Idris of Sharia Court Lapai, a Senior Registrar, and a court clerk for different forms of disciplinary action, having been found culpable by the investigation Committee that investigated the petitions against them.
