YENAGOA, BAYELSA STATE – In a fiery public petition calling the attention of the National Judicial Council (NJC), a grassroots rights advocate and Niger Delta campaigner, Gen. Bigy of the Bassan Mass Movement (BMM), has accused Justice Ungbuko of the Oporoma Magistrate Judicial Division of corruption, abuse of office, and judicial misconduct.
The petition, titled *“The Need for Justice Ungbuko of the Oporoma Division Sitting at the Bayelsa State Judiciary Yenagoa to Face Suspension, Disqualification or Forfeiture of Properties Acquired Through Corruption”*, paints a damning portrait of alleged judicial rot in the state.
“This is a man who delivers judgment without listening to the other party—just imagine because he has been bribed and financially induced by one Ebitei Tonyon, an ex-commissioner and currently serving as Special Adviser to Governor Douye Diri,” the petition reads.
The petitioner claims that Justice Ungbuko’s controversial judgments have been handed down under suspicious circumstances, including one delivered “just hours before the Easter holidays” without due hearing—raising questions about undue haste and influence.
*Judiciary Under Siege?*
Quoting the Nigerian Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, Gen. Bigy highlights that judges are expressly prohibited from accepting bribes, gifts, or allowing personal interests to interfere in judicial duties. The petition accuses Justice Ungbuko of violating these core principles.
> “Amongst all the aforementioned, Justice Ungbuko is found culpable. As such, he ought to be suspended or disqualified from holding public office,” the petition asserts, demanding further that the judge be **barred from promotion for 20 years** and subjected to possible **seizure of illicitly acquired assets**.
The petitioner further referenced remarks made by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at a Nigerian Bar Association event in Yenagoa, where he criticized corrupt judges as “tyrants in the temple of justice,” and warned that they will end up in “the dustbin of history.”
*A Call to the NJC*
Gen. Bigy, writing from the creeks of the Niger Delta, says this action is long overdue:
> “Though I may be a lone voice, it is time the National Judicial Council spread its searchlight toward Bayelsa State, wield its hammer on Justice Ungbuko, and investigate the rot in the judiciary.”
The Bassan Mass Movement is urging the NJC and the Code of Conduct Tribunal to open a formal probe into the judge’s conduct, warning that continued impunity could erode public trust and incite further unrest.
What’s Next?
As of press time, the NJC has not issued an official response to the petition. The Bayelsa State Judiciary has also remained silent on the matter. However, calls for transparency and reform in the state’s judicial system continue to mount, particularly in light of similar concerns raised in other regions.
Observers say if the NJC acts on the petition, it could mark a turning point for judicial accountability in Bayelsa and beyond.
