Ebun Francis || President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday okayed the compulsory retirement of A. F. A Ademola and O.O Tokode, two judges in Nigeria.
The sack of the two Judges was contained in a statement by Garba Shehu, President Buhari’s spokesman.
The two judges, Justice Ademola is of the federal high court in Abuja while Tokode is a justice of the federal high court, in Benin, Edo state.
Their dismissal followed the recommendations from the National Judicial Council (NJC).
According to Shehu’s statement, the disciplinary actions on the two Justices are in pursuance of section 292 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Justice O.O. Tokode is also to refund all salaries and allowances earned illegally from December 2, 2015, when he was sworn-in as a Judge of the Federal High Court to date.
“The President urges judicial officers to be alive to their responsibilities and eschew corruption in the discharge of their duties,” Mr. Shehu said.
In a separate statement, Shehu also said that President Buhari has commenced “the process of ensuring that persons, judges, and justices recommended by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for appointment into various Courts of Record in the instant are fit and proper, and are not under any disability to function as Judicial Officers.”
“The President’s position is in furtherance of the executive powers vested in him under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows him as the appointing authority to exercise same reasonably, taking all relevant factors into consideration,” the statement said.
“Nigerians are assured that President Buhari will issue his approval or otherwise as soon as the process of the background verification is completed.”