The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the compulsory retirement of eleven judges across the country, most of whom are from Imo State, following allegations of age falsification and other forms of judicial misconduct.
The decision was reached during the council’s 109th meeting held on June 25, 2025, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
In a statement released the following day in Abuja, NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogden, revealed that nine of the affected judges in Imo State were found to have altered their official dates of birth. According to the council, this was a deliberate attempt to extend their tenure in violation of public service rules and judicial ethics.
The judges implicated in the falsification scandal include five from the High Court; Justices M. E. Nwagboso, B. C. Iheka, K. A. Leaweanya, Okereke Chinyere Ngozi, and Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi and four from the Customary Court of Appeal: Justices Tennyson Nze, Ofoha Uchenna, Everyman Eleanya, and Rosemond Ibe. “They were found to have manipulated their official records to remain in service longer than allowed,” Ogden stated.
Also from Imo State, Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was sanctioned for presenting himself for swearing-in as Acting Chief Judge despite being fourth in the line of seniority. The council described this as a violation of Section 271 (4) of the Constitution. However, Justice V. U. Okorie, President of the Customary Court of Appeal and chair of the commission that recommended Nzeukwu, was cleared after it was established that he had dissented from the decision on record.
Beyond Imo State, the NJC also recommended the retirement of Justice Babatunde of the Ogun State High Court and Justice H. O. Ajayi of the Kwara State High Court. Although specific details of their infractions were not made public, the council confirmed that they fell short of acceptable standards for judicial officers.
The council’s investigation into 18 judges of the Imo Judiciary also led to several exonerations. Justices I. O. Agugua, C. A. Ononeze-Madu, and L. C. Azuama were found to have no discrepancies in their dates of birth. Meanwhile, Justices Vincent I. Onyeka and Vivian O. B. Ekezie were cleared after providing credible explanations for inconsistencies and were directed to retain the birth dates submitted to the Council of Legal Education.
Four other judges—Justices P. U. Nnodum, Alma Ngozi Eluwa, Matthew Chinedu Ijezie, and Ononogbo Linus—were also exonerated after proving that corrections made to their records actually shortened their career span rather than prolonged it. The NJC acknowledged their cases as genuine and without fraudulent intent.
In a separate development, the NJC sanctioned Justice Isaac Essien of the National Industrial Court, barring him from elevation for three years due to multiple violations of judicial conduct. Essien, a former employee of Nasarawa State University, was accused of refusing to recuse himself from a case involving the institution, despite having personal financial interests. He had reportedly used court letterhead to pursue his gratuity claims and made a personal visit to the Court of Appeal to track case developments.
Additional disciplinary actions were also taken against other judges. Justice Rahman Oshodi was cautioned over the misuse of judicial discretion in Lagos State, while the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, received a similar reprimand over his handling of a case. In Delta State, Justice G. B. Okolosi was issued a final warning for repeated violations of constitutional timelines in delivering judgments, and Justice Sa’adatu Mark of the Federal High Court was cautioned for exceeding the 90-day constitutional limit in issuing a ruling.
The NJC also reviewed 30 petitions against various judicial officers. Of these, 22 were dismissed for lacking merit, four judges were formally cautioned, and four cases were escalated for further investigation. Emphasizing its commitment to upholding the integrity of the judiciary, the council urged all judicial officers to adhere strictly to the Code of Conduct and constitutional provisions governing their office.
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