The National Judicial Council (NJC), has approved the compulsory retirement of ten (10) judges in Imo State for falsification of their age.
The Council, under the leadership of the Chief Justice of the federation, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, made the resolution at the 109th meeting held on June 25, 2025.
NJC Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogden made known through a statement on Thursday, June 26, 2025, in Abuja.
Ogden, in the statement, revealed that among the eleven (11) judges recommended for compulsory retirement, 10 of them are from the Imo State Judiciary.
“Nine of the affected judges of the Imo State Judiciary were found to have altered their dates of birth in their official records in order to confer on themselves the undue advantage of staying longer in service,” the statement stated.
Ogden added that the judges found to have falsified their records, are made up of five High Court judges and four judges of the Customary Court of Appeal in Imo State.
The statement listed the affected judges as Justice M. E. Nwagboso (High Court), Justice B. C. Iheka (High Court), Justice K. A. Leaweanya (High Court), Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi (High Court), Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi (High Court), Justice Tennyson Nze (Customary Court of Appeal), Justice Ofoha Uchenna (Customary Court of Appeal), Justice Everyman Eleanya (Customary Court of Appeal) and Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal).
In the same vein, Justice Babatunde of the Ogun State High Court and Justice H. O. Ajayi of Kwara State High Court were also recommended for retirement.
The statement explained that Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was found to have made himself available to be sworn in as acting Chief Judge of Imo State High Court, knowing that he was number four in the hierarchy of judges of the Imo State Judiciary, and contrary to Section 271 (4) of the Constitution.
“This earned him a sanction while the President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State, Justice V. U. Okorie, who chaired the commission that nominated Justice Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge, was absolved, having dissented on record against the recommendation to appoint Justice Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge.”
The Council stressed that the decision followed consideration of the submission of its Investigation Committee on allegations of age falsification against 18 judges of the Imo state judiciary.
It further reiterated an earlier directive to the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, to swear in the most senior judge of the state as the acting Chief Judge.
However, the council discarded, for want of merit, age falsification allegations brought against three judges of the State High Court whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy.
However, six High Court judges of the state, whose dates of birth either had discrepancies but with acceptable explanations or with discrepancies arising from genuine correction of their dates of birth to their disadvantage, were also exonerated.
The judges whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy include Justice I. O. Agugua, Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu and Justice L. C. Azuama, respectively.
The two judges who were given a clean bill of health owing to the provision of an acceptable explanation for discrepancies in their dates of birth are Justice Vincent I. Onyeka and Justice Vivian O. B. Ekezie.
The Council, however, directed that both justices must maintain the date of birth supplied by the Council of Legal Education in their official records.
Four other judges were absolved on account that they genuinely corrected their dates of birth to their disadvantage, including: Justice P. U. Nnodum, Justice Alma Ngozi Eluwa, Justice Matthew Chinedu Ijezie and Justice Ononogbo Linus.
The Council, however, barred a judge of the National Industrial Court, Justice Isaac Essien from being considered for elevation to a higher court for three years due to misconduct.
The Council also noted that he refused to step aside from the case after the Nasarawa State Government raised concerns about possible bias.
“Justice Essien was a former staff member of the state university, which owed him gratuity, and he had earlier demanded payment using the official letterhead of the court — a clear breach of Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.”
They also queried Justice Essien for personally visiting the Court of Appeal registry to confirm if an appeal had been filed in the case — an action considered highly inappropriate for a judge.
The Council therefore found Justice Essien guilty of violating several rules in the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers and reprimanded, barred him from elevation to a higher judicial office for a period of three years.
“The NJC also considered the reports of its Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees, which contained a total number of 30 petitions against various Judicial Officers.
“Four committees were empanelled for further investigation, four judges were cautioned, while 22 petitions were dismissed for lacking merit,” the NJC said.
Similarly, the council cautioned Justice Rahman Oshodi over the misuse of judicial discretion in Suit No. ID/232/53C/23.
Also, Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa was cautioned over abuse of his judicial discretion in Suit No. B1/555/2020 and was advised to exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously in future.
In Delta State, the NJC issued a final warning to Justice G. B. Okolosi State High Court for continued flouting Section 294 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, and Justice Sa’adatu Mark, of the Federal High Court, received a caution for delivering judgment after the constitutional 90 days.
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