The Jigawa State Judicial Service Commission has taken decisive actions against judicial personnel found guilty of misconduct, terminating the appointments of three staff members and issuing warnings and resignation advice to others.
This development was announced in a statement issued on Sunday in Dutse by Abbas Wangara, the Director of Protocol and Publicity for the state judiciary.
The decisions were reached during the commission’s 178th meeting held on January 7, following a review of cases involving violations of judicial procedures.
In a statement signed by the commission’s Secretary, Auwalu Dan’Azumi, it was revealed that two registrars were implicated in the unauthorized sale of vehicles held as court exhibits.
“The officers, Iyal Ibrahim, a Higher Registrar, and Baffa Alhaji, a Principal Registrar, were found guilty of the illegal sale of two vehicles that were exhibits of the Federal High Court in Dutse. This constitutes a breach of official conduct under the Jigawa State Judiciary Scheme of Service 2006,” Wangara explained.
Their actions led to their dismissal by Section 41 of the Judicial Service Commission Law, Cap—20 Laws of Jigawa State 2012.
Additionally, Chief Clerical Officer Abdu Aujara was dismissed after embezzling ₦965,000, a litigant’s deposit in a case filed by Ja’iz Bank. “His actions represent gross misconduct, and his dismissal aligns with the same legal provisions,” Wangara added.
The commission also acted on a Judiciary Public Complaint Committee report, which indicted three Shari’a Court judges for various offenses. Judge Adamu Farin-Dutse was accused of abusing judicial powers and was advised to resign within two weeks. “Despite multiple warnings, he was found guilty of official misconduct, prompting the commission’s decision,” the statement read.
Judge Muhammad Usman faced similar sanctions for issuing a writ of possession before delivering a judgment, while Judge Usman Zubair was implicated in irregularities in inheritance distribution cases. Both judges were also advised to resign within two weeks.
In separate cases, Resident Magistrate Munnir Abdullahi was cautioned for converting a civil case into a criminal matter and displaying partisanship, while Magistrate Yakubu Ibrahim was reprimanded for using derogatory language during court proceedings.
“These measures are part of our commitment to maintaining a corrupt-free judiciary and ensuring high standards of professionalism,” Wangara emphasized. He reassured that the commission would continue to uphold judicial integrity while fostering a fair working environment for all employees.
