Home JUSTICE & JUDICIARY Alleged Improper Administration of JSC in Kano: Group Petitions CJN

Alleged Improper Administration of JSC in Kano: Group Petitions CJN

The Centre for Awareness on Justice and Accountability, a non-governmental organization has petitioned Chief Justice Chief Justice of Nigeria ( CJN) over the alleged Kano State Chief Judge’s failure to take disciplinary actions of misconduct and corruption against magistrates, various petitions and alleged improper administration of state Judicial Service Commission.

A copy of the petition signed by one Kabiru Saidu Dakata, Executive Director, of the group, dated 15th March, 2022 was addressed to Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council.

In the petition the group alleged various acts of corruption, discriminatory/preferential treatments of litigants and biases in the direction of cases to the Magistrate Courts in Kano State by Chief Registrar.

” CAJA has observed after thorough investigation that in spite of having over 80 Magistrates, successive Chief Registrars of the Kano State High Court have been in the predictable habit of directing all politically exposed cases involving the Kano State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje or any member of the ruling party, against any perceived political opponent, to one Senior Magistrate in person of Aminu Muhammad Gabari of Magistrate court No. 58, Nomansland, Kano.”

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” The said Magistrate, who our findings reveal is notorious among lawyers and litigants alike is evidently favoured by State’s Chief Judge who in spite of many petitions against the Magistrate and indeed many other erring magistrates in the State has failed and refused to take any administrative action”

The group explained that the petition is against the Chief Judge in his capacity as Chairman Judicial Service Commission, Kano State.

It further alleged that all cases (mostly defamation of character-an ordinarily bailable offence considered a civil wrong in many jurisdiction of the world) against any perceived opponent of the Kano State government goes to the Senior Magistrate in question, the said Magistrate according to the petition has never failed the State Governor and general public’s expectation by consistently imposing stringent and sometimes impossible bail conditions against anyone arraigned before him in this respect.

” My lord, it is also our keen observation that similar cases involving non-entities never get the type of treatment given to cases involving Kano State governor, members of the first family or other eminent members of the government or ruling party all of whom for obvious reasons prefer Aminu Gabari’s court over 80 other available options.”

The group similarly alleged that ” Almost predictable pattern of the Magistrate is always to send the defendants to correctional centers on arraignment, after taking a simple bail application which would almost always be adjourned for ruling while ordering for the remand of the defendants.

” On the day of ruling for bail, the magistrate will normally impose stringent bail conditions apparently incompatible with the nature of the offence and in some cases, the learned magistrate will refuse to sit in the court for one excuse or another thereby prolonging the defendants’ incarceration.

” To cite a few instances, Engineer Ma`az Magaji Dan Sarauniya, Abdulmajid Almustapha (Danbilki Kwamanda), Salisu Yahaya Hotoro, Rufaida Ahmad, Damina Ali Gwarzo and Dalha Yusuf, all of whom are political opponents of the Kano State governor, have at various times suffered the above fate from the same magistrate.

On the other hand responding to the allegations against the Chief Judge and Chairman State Judicial Service Commission, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, Spokesman of the Kano State High Court said the petition was not addressed to Kano State Judicial Service Commission.

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He emphasized that he only came across the petition circulating on social media and acccording to him National Judicial Council had already barred any publication of petition on alleged misconduct against any Judicial Officer or employee.

Acccording to him publishing petition against judicial officer or its employee on any media platform, electronic or print has violated the conduct of NJC.

” We are always guided by the laid down principle and procedures governing the conduct of NJC”.

“I will not say anything on this issue until we hear further directive from NJC” Baba Jibo said.

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