The Jigawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has dismissed three judicial staff and sanctioned several judges over allegations of misconduct and dereliction of duty. The disciplinary measures were disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Dutse by Abbas Wangara, Director of Protocol and Publicity for the Jigawa State Judiciary.
At its 178th meeting held on January 7, the JSC approved actions against personnel found guilty of breaching judicial procedures and professional ethics.
Dismissals for Misconduct
Two officers from the High Court department, Iyal Ibrahim (Higher Registrar, Grade Level 08) and Baffa Alhaji (Principal Registrar, Grade Level 14), were dismissed for the illegal sale of two vehicles that were court exhibits in cases at the Federal High Court, Dutse.
“Their actions constituted official misconduct punishable under Rules 5 (4) & (6) of the Jigawa State Judiciary Scheme of Service 2006,” Wangara stated. The dismissals were carried out in line with Section 41 of the Judicial Service Commission Law, Cap. 20 Laws of Jigawa State 2012.
Additionally, Chief Clerical Officer Abdu Aujara was dismissed for embezzling ₦965,000 from a litigant’s deposit in a recovery case filed by Ja’iz Bank at the Chief Magistrate Court in Jahun.
Sanctions for Judges
The JSC also took disciplinary action against five judges:
- Adamu Farin-Dutse, a Shari’a Court Judge, was found guilty of abusing judicial powers and misapplying the law despite multiple warnings. The commission advised him to resign within two weeks.
- Muhammad Usman, another Shari’a Court Judge, was accused of issuing a writ of possession before delivering judgment, violating judicial procedures. He was similarly advised to resign within two weeks.
- Usman Zubair, a Shari’a Court Judge, was implicated in irregularities in inheritance distribution cases and advised to resign for repeated warnings about his conduct.
- Munnir Abdullahi, a Resident Magistrate, received a warning for converting a civil matter into a criminal case and exhibiting partisanship during proceedings.
- Yakubu Ibrahim, a Magistrate, was reprimanded for using derogatory language and insulting a litigant during proceedings at the Chief Magistrate Court in Maigatari.
Ensuring Judicial Integrity
Wangara emphasized that the disciplinary actions were part of the commission’s efforts to maintain a corrupt-free judiciary and uphold high standards of professionalism.
“The commission remains committed to fostering a fair and supportive working environment for judicial employees while ensuring necessary actions are taken to uphold the integrity of the judiciary,” he said.
These measures reflect the JSC’s resolve to preserve public trust in the judiciary and promote accountability within the legal system.
