Jigawa JSC Asks Three Judges To Resign, Fires Three Officers For Misconduct

The Jigawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) fired three judicial officers for misconduct and recommended three other Shari'a Court judges resign and gave two others a warning for neglecting their duties.

Director of Protocol and Publicity at Jigawa State Judiciary Abbas Wangara in Dutse shared a statement on Sunday, explaining that during its 178th meeting on Jan. 7, the commission approved disciplinary actions against the officers for breaking judicial rules and procedures.

"In the outcome of the meeting signed by Auwalu Dan'Azumi, Secretary of the JSC, the commission received the report of an investigation committee from the High Court department in respect of two officers," Premium Times reported.

The officers affected are Iyal Ibrahim, a Higher Registrar on Grade Level 08, and Baffa Alhaji, a Principal Registrar on Grade Level 14, as per Wangara.

Both were found guilty of illegally selling two vehicles, which were exhibits of the Federal High Court in Dutse and were accused of official misconduct under the Jigawa State Judiciary Scheme of Service 2006.

The commission decided to terminate their services in line with Section 41 of the Judicial Service Commission Law, Cap. 20 Laws of Jigawa State 2012.

Wangara stated that the commission received a report about Abdu Aujara, a chief clerical officer, who was accused of withholding N965,000, a deposit from a litigant in a case filed by Ja'iz Bank at the Chief Magistrates Court in Jahun.

Furthermore, the commission discussed a report from the Judiciary Public Complaint Committee (JPCC) about Adamu Farin-Dutse, a Shari'a Court judge accused of misusing judicial powers and misapplying the law. Farin-Dutse had been warned several times before.

After careful consideration, the commission found him guilty of official misconduct according to Section 5.4 of the Judiciary Scheme of Service. The commission has instructed the judge to submit his resignation within two weeks, as per Section 41 of the Judicial Service Commission Law, Cap. J20 Laws of Jigawa State 2012.

The commission reviewed a report from the JPCC regarding Usman Zubair, a Shari'a Court judge accused of misusing judicial powers.

He was said to have mishandled inheritance cases by not properly distributing shares to the rightful heirs and allowing someone not involved in the case to benefit. The commission found that Zubair had been previously warned about irregularities in his civil and criminal cases.

The commission also asked another Shari'a Court judge Muhammad Usman to tender resignation for allegedly abused power by issuing a writ of possession before delivering judgment.