The National Judicial Council (NJC) has directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the Acting Chief Judge of the state, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in the shortlist of candidates for appointment as substantive Chief Judge, following a petition challenging her exclusion.

The directive represents an intervention by the national judicial body in the state’s judicial leadership selection process, after it considered a complaint that the most senior judge of the Imo State High Court had been left out of the candidates presented for consideration.

The decision was taken at the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun.

In a statement by its Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the Council said it considered a petition dated June 11, 2026, by Bob Kay Njemanze, who challenged Agugua’s exclusion from the shortlist submitted by the state Judicial Service Commission.

While acknowledging that the state commission has the constitutional responsibility to advise the NJC on suitable candidates for appointment as Chief Judge, the Council maintained that it retains the authority to determine the suitability of nominees presented to it.

It consequently directed its Secretariat to formally request the Imo commission to include Agugua’s name in the shortlist.

The meeting also approved disciplinary sanctions against three judicial officers following consideration of nine investigation reports arising from petitions concerning their handling of cases.

The affected officers are Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.

The three were recommended for suspension from judicial duties for one year without pay, while additional restrictions were imposed on the elevation of two of them.

In a separate decision, the Council recommended 28 candidates for appointment into various judicial positions across the country, including a Grand Kadi for the Plateau State Sharia Court of Appeal.

Twenty-four of the candidates were recommended for High Court positions in Kano, Ebonyi, Edo, Adamawa and Ogun states.

One candidate was recommended as Kadi of the Adamawa State Sharia Court of Appeal, while two others were recommended as judges of the Adamawa State Customary Court of Appeal.

The recommended candidates are expected to be sworn in by their respective state governors without delay.