Kano Sharia Court Judge, Director Sacked Over Bribery, Certificate Fraud
The Kano State Judicial Service Commission has directed a Sharia court judge, Aliyu Muhammad and Acting Director, Information and Statistics, Shari’a Court of Appeal, Muzambilu Ado, to immediately proceed on compulsory retirement.
This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the spokesperson of the Kano State judiciary, Baba Ibrahim.
The two affected officers were found guilty of bribery and corruption by the State Judiciary Public Complaints Committee.
The statement read, “The Kano State Judicial Service Commission, at its 90th meeting held on 3rd July, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Judge of Kano State, considered reports and recommendations of the Establishment Committee and the Judiciary Public Complaints Committee on petitions and disciplinary matters involving Sharia Court Judges and staff of the Kano State Judiciary.
“After careful deliberation, the commission approved a number of disciplinary measures in line with its constitutional mandate to uphold integrity, accountability and public confidence in the administration of justice.”
According to the statement, the commission directed Muhammad, who is the Presiding Judge, Shari’a Court, Babeji, to proceed on compulsory retirement after the JPCC established allegations of bribery and corruption against him in connection with Suit No. CV/474/2024 between Talatu Ibrahim and Muntari Abubakar Baguda.
The commission also directed the judge to refund the sum of N250,000.00 received as gratification.
It further approved the suspension, without pay, for four months of Ibrahim Ahmad Ibrahim, Court Clerk, Shari’a Court, Babeji, after he admitted receiving part of the money collected as a bribe in the above-mentioned case.
The commission also directed the Acting Director, Information and Statistics, Shari’a Court of Appeal, Muzambilu Ado, to proceed on compulsory retirement with immediate effect after the committee established serious irregularities in his academic credentials, including alteration of his academic records and irregular admission into the Nigerian Law School without the approval of the commission.
Similarly, the commission also approved the demotion by one Grade Level of the Presiding Judge, Upper Shari’a Court, Goron Dutse, Usman Haruna, for negligence in permitting proceeds of the sale of estate property to be paid into the personal account of a court official, thereby exposing litigants’ funds to possible misappropriation.
The commission further ratified his earlier recall from judicial duties for one year and issued him a strong warning.
In the same vein, the commission considered the report of the JPCC concerning the handling of bail in Case No. CR/172/2022 between the Commissioner of Police and Muhammad Musa Kadawa and issued a strong warning to the Presiding Judge, Upper Shari’a Court, Kasuwa, Abdullahi Wayya, for negligence in supervising the bail process, which resulted in the release of the defendant without proper verification of the title documents submitted as bail bond.
The commission also directed that Inspector Shehu Adamu be reported to the CP Kano State for investigation and appropriate disciplinary action after he was found to have misled the court into releasing the defendant on bail by assuring the court that all bail conditions had been fulfilled.
It further directed the JPCC to conduct a thorough investigation into the conduct of Salmanu Zubairu, Registrar Record, and Ahmad Kabir, Finance Registrar, regarding their roles in the handling of the bail documents in the same matter.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and ethical conduct within the Kano State Judiciary.
It emphasised that judicial officers and court personnel must continue to conduct themselves in a manner that promotes public confidence in the administration of justice and warned that any act of misconduct, corruption or abuse of office will attract appropriate sanctions.