The Kano State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has ordered the compulsory retirement of a Sharia Court judge and the Acting Director of Information and Statistics at the Shari’a Court of Appeal after they were found guilty of bribery, corruption and academic credential irregularities.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson for the Kano State Judiciary, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, following the commission’s 90th meeting held on July 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Judge of Kano State.
According to the statement, the commission reviewed reports and recommendations from its Establishment Committee and the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee (JPCC) on petitions and disciplinary cases involving judges and court personnel.
The commission directed the Presiding Judge of the Shari’a Court in Babeji, Aliyu Muhammad, to proceed on compulsory retirement after the JPCC found him guilty of bribery and corruption in relation to Suit No. CV/474/2024 between Talatu Ibrahim and Muntari Abubakar Baguda. He was also ordered to refund the ₦250,000 he allegedly received as gratification.
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A Court Clerk at the same court, Ibrahim Ibrahim, was suspended without pay for four months after admitting to receiving part of the bribe connected to the case.
The commission also ordered the immediate compulsory retirement of the Acting Director of Information and Statistics at the Shari’a Court of Appeal, Muzambilu Ado, after investigations uncovered serious irregularities in his academic records. The findings included the alteration of academic credentials and irregular admission into the Nigerian Law School without the commission’s approval.
In another disciplinary action, the Presiding Judge of the Upper Shari’a Court in Goron Dutse, Usman Haruna Usman, 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, exposing litigants’ funds to possible misappropriation. The commission also upheld his earlier one-year suspension from judicial duties and issued him a strong warning.
The commission further issued a strong warning to the Presiding Judge of the Upper Shari’a Court in Kasuwa, Abdullahi Wayya, over negligence in supervising the bail process in Case No. CR/172/2022 involving the Commissioner of Police and Muhammad Kadawa. The lapse led to the release of the defendant without proper verification of title documents submitted as bail security.
The JSC also directed that Inspector Shehu Adamu be reported to the Kano State Commissioner of Police for investigation and possible disciplinary action after he was found to have misled the court by falsely assuring that all bail conditions had been met.
Additionally, the commission ordered the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee to investigate the roles of Registrar (Records), Salmanu Zubairu, and Finance Registrar, Ahmad Kabir, in the handling of bail documents in the same case.
Reaffirming its commitment to accountability, the commission said it would continue to enforce the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and ethical conduct within the Kano State Judiciary, warning that any form of corruption, misconduct or abuse of office would attract appropriate sanctions.
