The Nasarawa State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has approved the demotion and dismissal of Chief Magistrate Emmanuel A. Jatau, formerly serving in Masaka, Nasarawa State.
Jatau has been demoted from Chief Magistrate II (GL 15) to Senior Magistrate I (GL 14) and stripped of all magisterial duties.
This decision followed a recommendation by the Committee for Appointments, Promotions, and Discipline (CAPD), prompted by a petition submitted in August 2024 by Nigerian human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, to the Honourable Chief Judge of Nasarawa State.
Effiong accused Jatau of judicial misconduct, forgery, illegality, and abuse of power. He alleged that the Magistrate Court in Masaka used an official filing stamp belonging to the Federal High Court (FHC) in Lagos, signed by an FHC staff member, M. Tofowomo-Adegbite (Mr.), and dated January 8, 2024.