The Kano State Judicial Service Commission has taken sweeping disciplinary action against judicial officers and court personnel, compulsorily retiring two officials, demoting a Sharia Court judge, suspending a court clerk without pay, and ordering fresh investigations into other officers over alleged misconduct.
The decisions were reached at the commission’s 90th meeting chaired by the Chief Judge of Kano State, Dije Abdu Aboki, following the consideration of reports submitted by the Establishment Committee and the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee.
Among those sanctioned is Hon. Alkali Aliyu Yahaya Muhammad, Presiding Judge of the Sharia Court in Babeji, who was compulsorily retired after the commission found him culpable of bribery and corruption in a civil case. He was also directed to refund ₦250,000 allegedly received as gratification.
The commission equally suspended Ibrahim Ahmad Ibrahim, a court clerk attached to the same court, for four months without pay after he admitted receiving part of the money linked to the bribery allegation.
In another case, the commission approved the compulsory retirement of Muzambilu Ado, Acting Director of Information and Statistics at the Sharia Court of Appeal, over irregularities involving his academic credentials, including alleged alteration of records and irregular admission into the Nigerian Law School.
Hon. Alkali Usman Haruna Usman, Presiding Judge of the Upper Sharia Court in Goron Dutse, was demoted by one grade level for negligence after allowing proceeds from the sale of estate property to be paid into the personal account of a court official, a move the commission said exposed litigants’ funds to possible misappropriation.
The commission also upheld his earlier one-year recall from judicial duties and issued him a strong warning.
Another judge, Hon. Alkali Abdullahi Wayya of the Upper Sharia Court, Kasuwa, received a strong warning over negligence in supervising bail procedures that led to the release of a defendant without proper verification of the bail documents.
The commission further directed that Inspector Shehu Adamu be reported to the Kano State Commissioner of Police for investigation over his alleged role in misleading the court regarding compliance with bail conditions. It also ordered investigations into two court officials, Salmanu Zubairu and Ahmad Kabir, over their handling of the same bail documents.
Meanwhile, the commission reversed the earlier recall of Hon. Alkali Umar Sunusi Danbaba after reviewing additional documents submitted by the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee. He has been reinstated to full judicial duties with his salary and entitlements restored.
The commission said the disciplinary actions underscore its commitment to promoting integrity, accountability and professionalism within the Kano State judiciary, warning that acts of corruption, misconduct and abuse of office will continue to attract appropriate sanctions.