The National Judicial Council (NJC) has thrown out a petition accusing a Nasarawa State High Court judge of bias and abuse of judicial authority, describing the complaint as unsubstantiated and reiterating that court orders must be obeyed.
The decision was taken at the Council’s 110th meeting held on January 14, 2026, where Honourable Justice Abdullahi Hassan Shams Shama of the Nasarawa State High Court, Doma Division, was cleared of all allegations. The petition had been filed by a legal practitioner, Barrister Isah Hassan Nalaraba.
The complaint arose from events during a court sitting on February 5, 2025, when Nalaraba was appearing as counsel before Justice Shama. According to the NJC, the judge ordered the lawyer to surrender his mobile phone over concerns relating to the use of the device during proceedings. Nalaraba allegedly refused to comply with the directive, prompting his arrest and detention by police officers at the Doma Division, where he spent the night in custody. His release was later secured after two mobile phones were seized.
In response, Nalaraba submitted a petition to the NJC dated February 7, 2025, accusing the judge of bias, abuse of judicial powers, and violation of his fundamental rights. He also instituted a separate fundamental human rights enforcement suit at the Federal High Court in Lafia, seeking over ₦610 million in damages and exemplary compensation against Justice Shama, police officials, and other parties for alleged breaches of the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
After examining the petition, the judge’s defence, and the report of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee, the NJC concluded that Nalaraba’s refusal to obey a lawful court order directly led to his detention and the subsequent actions taken by the police.
In its resolution, the Council stated that disobedience to court orders undermines the dignity and authority of the judiciary, stressing that compliance was the proper course of action. It noted that Nalaraba’s failure to surrender his phone as directed was the cause of his predicament, not any misconduct on the part of the judge.
Based on these findings, the NJC dismissed the petition for lacking merit. The decision was formally conveyed in a letter signed by the Council’s Secretary, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, Esq.
The ruling reinforces the judiciary’s firm position on respect for court authority and adherence to judicial directives. While the NJC’s decision clears Justice Shama of wrongdoing, the fundamental rights suit filed by Nalaraba at the Federal High Court remains pending, subject to further proceedings and rulings.
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