CJN, NJC Direct Delta Chief Judge To Respond To Allegations Against Him, Begin Probe

The Chief Judge of Nigeria, CJN, Justice I.T. Mohammed as well as the National Judicial Commission, NJC have instructed the Delta State Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro to respond to allegations raised against him by a Child Rights Activist in Delta State.

The directives followed the failure of the Chief Judge to respond to an earlier petition dated 9th January which was addressed to the CJN and NJC.

This is contained in a letter dated 14th August 2019 with Reference Number: NJC/DE.HC/10/II/48 and addressed to the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro.

The letter titled, “In the Matter of Unethical and Unprofessional Conducts of a Judicial Officer” was signed by the Secretary of the National Judicial Council, NJC, Ahmed Gambo Saleh.

“I have been directed by the Honorable , Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council, Hon. Dr. Justice I.T. Mohammed GCON to forward to Your Lordship another petition dated 9th July 2019 received from the Petitioner on the above subject matter for your necessary action.

“I am to also inform you that His Lordship is yet to receive the Report of any action taken by you on the matter, please.”

The NJC acknowledgement was contained in a letter dated 16th August 2019 with reference number NJC/S.10/DL.HC/4/II/433 and addressed to the State Chairman Committee for the Defense of Human Right,CDHR, Delta State branch, Comrade (Dr) Prince Kehinde Taiga and signed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman, National Judicial Council, NJC, Justice I.T. Mohammed.

The statement contained in the letter reads “This is to acknowledged receipt of your Petition dated 10th May 2019 on the above subject matter and to inform you that action is being taken, please”

In a related development, the National Judicial Council, NJC had also acknowledged the Petition titled “in the disappearance of fifty(50) Family Courts and 104 Assessors from the Delta State Judiciary and Administration of the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro for the purpose of illegal Adoption/Child trafficking” written by the Committee for the Defense of Human Right (CDHR) Delta State branch dated 10th May 2019.

It would be recalled that Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho who is also the State Child’s Right Coordinator of the Committee for the Defense of Human Right, CDHR Delta State Branch had written series of Petitions in a personal capacity against the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro containing allegations of Child trafficking, corruption, bias, frame up, threat to life amongst others.