As part of measures put in place to instill discipline in the Niger State Judiciary, the state Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) has taken a bold step to uphold its integrity.
Already, the Niger State Judicial Service Commission NJSC, has used its sledgehammer on a Chief Magistrate, a Shariah, Court Judge, and senior Registrar and five others for Judicial misconduct.
In an emergency meeting held at the NSJSC Secretariat on the 28th July 2025, a stringent measures was taken against the Chief Magistrate and the Senior Registrar aimed at upholding the integrity and accountability of the Judicial officers.
Among the major step taken by the state Judicial Service Commission Chief Magisrate Isaac Yisa of Chief Magisrate Court in Kontagora, Judicial division alongside with the Registrar Mohammed Alhaji Ahmed were dismissed from the service with immediate effect.
In a Press release signed by the Secretary of the Niger State Judicial Service Commission (NJSC) Barrister Hauwa Kulu Isah, stated that their dismissal was as a result of their involvement in a serious official misconduct.
According to the Secretary, the Registrar was as a result of receiving a gratification from a litigant to grant him bail, refusal granting bail without due regards to the laid down procedure, lack of proper ecord of proceedings among other official misconduct.
Similarly Barrister Hauwa Kulu Isah, explained that Mohammed Alhaji Ahmed, was said to have requested and recieved the sum of ten thousand (N10,000) through his account as gratification before filling bail bonds and production warrant to release a litigant from detention.
Also, the commission sledgehammer felled heavily on Fatihu Hassan a Judge of Upper Shariah Court, Wushishi for recieving the sum Eight Hundred thousand naira in a land related dispute case before him and his failure to determine the matter between the parties.
The dismissed staff's actions according to the Secretary of the NSJSC,were found to be in contravention of section 58 (1) (2) (4) (6) and(8) of the Niger State Judicial Service Regulations 2018 and "consequently dismissed under section 61 of the Regulations"
Furthermore Hauwa Kulu Isah disclosed that the Commission compulsorily retired Hajiya Ramatu Suleiman, the Registrar of Shariah Court Bida for conflicts of interest and complexities in a matter of administration of estate of Late Alhaji Hussain Babvana Katcha.
She said the Hajiya Ramatu Suleiman is found to have been engaged in another employment known as (RIFAN COORDINATOR) while still in the services of the Niger State Judiciary,act that contravened section 58(1)4 and liable for dismissal under section 61 of Commission's Regulations 2018.
The Commission, she said had earlier during its 151st meeting held on the 1st of July, 2025 sanctioned Sadiq Samaila of Kontagora Magistrate court two,Idris Alhaji Idris of Shariah Court Lapai, Senior Registrar and a court clerk to different forms of displinary action " having found them culpable by the Investigation committee that investigated the petition against them"
However, Sani Aliyu ,a Judge of Upper Shariah Court Salka, and his Registrar escaped the sledgehammer of the disciplinary committee as petition against them by Barrister Solomon Jiya was dismissed for lack of merit.
The Petition with the captioned " Petition Against the Shariah Court Judge,Salka ( Suleiman Aliyu) ,the Registrar ( Saidu Idris), and Sani Aliyu (GT) for abuse of Judicial process, Aiding Criminal Activities Obstruction of Justice and other gross Misconduct" was dismissed.
The Hauwa Kulu declared that the Commission found the claims to be unsubstantiated and consequently issued a serious warning to the petitioner and the general public to refrain from filing frivolous fictious and sensational Petitions capable of tarnishing the image of its state Judicial officers and staff as well as using the courts to disrupt the peaceful coexistence of people of different faith in the state.
