Justice Abubakar Talba

Charles Archibong

Thomas Naron

The National Judicial Council  (NJC) has recommended the immediate retirement of three rogue judges during an emergency meeting of the body late last night.

"The highest judicial regulatory body in Nigeria has acceded  to the compulsory retirement of  justices Abubakar Talba, Thomas D Naron and Charles Archibong," said a Supreme Court source early today.

The first of the three judges, Justice Talba was recommended for retirement following  public outcry that greeted his ruling granting a police pension thief, Yakubu Yusufu, a $1,500 fine after he pleaded guilty to grand theft of $203 million.

A second high court judge, Justice Naron  was controversially involved in a series of scandalous election tribunal cases, especially in Osun state, where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attorney, Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) had extensive personal contact with the judge during the 2007 election tribunal case involving Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the PDP.

The NJC last night directed the Nigeria Bar Association to deal with Mr. Kalejaiye's case through its Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee.

Justice Archibong was sanctioned by the NJC for some scandalous judgements including the case involving Nigeria's renowned rogue banker, Erastus Akingbola.

The NJC was silent on the cases of two other rogue judges, Mr. Ibrahim Buba, the judge that granted a permanent injunction restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from arresting, questioning or interrogating former governor Peter Odili of Rivers State as well as Mr. Justice Marcel Awokulehin, the judge who cleared former governor James Ibori of all fraud charges in 2009.

Source: Sahara Reporters