NJC faces serious integrity challenge.
The National Judicial Council NJC is facing an unprecedented integrity challenge as Civil Society coalition exposes double standards in the handling of disciplinary actions against Judicial Officers.
The Civil Society Engagement Platform; a coalition of Civil Society groups in Nigeria has called out the National Judicial Council NJC for what it terms double standards in the way the council is handling petitions of age falsification and gross misconduct against some Judicial Officers across the Country.
This follows the directive of the NJC to the Imo State Governor; His Excellency Senator Hope Uzodimma to swear in the most senior Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua as the acting Chief Judge of Imo State inspite of overwhelming evidence of age falsification and gross misconduct against her before the NJC.
It will be recalled that CSEP had written a petition against eighteen Judges of Imo State Judiciary including the said Justice Ijeoma Agugua; for age falsification and gross misconduct.
The petition which was accompanied by prima facie evidence which clearly shows that Justice Ijeoma Agugua documented two varying ages in her official documents, was submitted to the NJC on April, 9 2025 by CSEP.
It is a known fact that when such a heavy weather is raised over the conduct of a Judicial Officer, the NJC must carry out due diligence and proper investigation to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of such a petition.
It is therefore shocking to well meaning Citizens of Nigeria and the global community as a whole; that the NJC has suddenly adopted double standards in it’s handling of the present petition.
Recall that NJC in the past few years have taken seriously; the issue of age falsification and Judicial misconduct by Judicial Officers and has removed many Judges from the Bench for such acts.
In the most recent case, the former Chief Judge of Imo State, Justice Chikeka was removed by NJC for using two different ages in her official documents.
One therefore wonders why the present NJC has chosen to uphold perjury, age falsification and gross misconduct among Judicial Officers.
In the documents attached to the Petition to the NJC, Justice Ijeoma Agugua at various times used two different ages in her official documents and without a doubt, this is a clear case of age falsification because one cannot pick or choose which of the two ages is her real age.
It is a known fact in law that once a person presents two contradictory documents on the same subject matter; both must be discountenanced as the Courts cannot pick or choose which one to use.
CSEP further gathered that the said Justice Ijeoma Agugua had acted as the Chief judge of Imo State for 19 months and asking the Governor of Imo State to swear in again is a gross violation of Section 271 (5) of the 1999 Constitution which stipulates that a person who has acted for two terms of three months cannot be reappointed to act in the capacity of the acting Chief Judge of a State
It is a gross shame that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who presents a stance of zero tolerance to corruption and judicial misconduct has now closed her eyes because of the very known fact that the so-called most senior Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua is her Class mate and buddy from way back University of Lagos State.
It is in this light that the Civil Society group is calling on the National Judicial Council NJC to save Nigeria from this show of shame by upholding justice for all.
CSEP has warned that it will mobilise it’s allies across the Country for what will become the mother of all protests if the National Judicial Council NJC continues to decimate Nigeria’s judiciary.
