President Buhari Conducts Background Checks On Judges Nominated

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that a background check be carried out on Federal High Court and Court of Appeal judges nominated and submitted to him by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year.

A source in the Presidency, anonymously told Punch that the president needed to do some checks to ensure that no error was made in the nomination, although he believed that the NJC would have done the necessary before submitting the names of the judges for approval.

He said, “On the appointment of judges into the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal, the President is looking at that as recommended by the NJC.

“The NJC obviously has done due diligence on the appointed judges. There is no question about that. It is expected that they would have done their duty.

“But giving the President’s emphasis on the war against corruption, he himself will obviously need to do some checks that will assure him that no mistake has been made.

“It is not that the President has refused to approve it. He is looking into the recommendation made before pushing them forward because the Senate will be involved.”

Naija News gathered that the president might have approved the compulsory retirement of Justices Adeniyi Ademola and Segun Tokode, both of the Federal High Court as recommended by the NJC over alleged misconduct, a case the government official said Buhari did not take lightly.

He said the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), would soon make a formal statement on Buhari’s position on the matter.

He said, “It is a disciplinary issue relating to corruption. This is a matter that the President does not take lightly. You should expect a statement on the matter from the Attorney General of the Federation very soon. That is about being concluded.”

It was learnt that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were involved in the checks.