The National Judicial Council presided over by the Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, at its 106th Meeting has resolved to issue a letter of advise to Hon. Justice O. M. Olagunju of Oyo State High Court to be circumspect as a Judicial Officer before acting, even in the most challenging situation.

The resolution was made after Council considered the report of the Committee it set up, and mandated it to invite the Hon. Judge to appear before it to defend his uncouth language in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, challenging Council’s decision viz-a-viz its Policy Direction on Appointment of President Court of the Customary Court of Appeal, Oyo State. In a statement made available to Judiciary Correspondents in Abuja and signed by the Director of Press, Soji Oye, the Council at the Meeting considered the Report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee on 22 petitions written against 27 Judicial Officers of the Federal and State High Courts and decided to empanel four (4) Committees to investigate allegations in the petitions that were found meritorious.

The remaining 18 petitions were discountenanced for lacking of merit, abandoned, or being subjudice.
Council also considered the Report of its Performance Evaluation of Judicial Officers of Superior Courts of record and resolved to issue letters ranging from commendation, appreciation, No submission and non-performance to 215 Judges all over the Federation.

It also placed five Judges on its pre-sanction Watch List register for poor performance. They would be recommended to the Council for appropriate sanction if they do not improve on their performance. Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON, in the meeting being the last one before his retirement, appreciated the cooperation he received from Members of the Council and the Council’s Secretariat and implored them to extend same to his successor. At the meeting, Members of the Council also eulogized the outgoing CJN and Chairman one after the other and wished him good health in retirement.