The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards ensuring the independence of the judiciary. A bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution to make the National Judicial Council’s (NJC) recommendation mandatory for the removal of heads of Nigerian courts has passed its second reading.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, aims to alter Section 292(1)(a)(i) and (ii) of the Constitution to ensure that the NJC investigates allegations against heads of courts before their removal. This change would apply to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, President of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, and other high-ranking judicial officers.