Age Fabrication: NJC Says 10 Imo Judges‘ll Be Forced To Retire…Industrial Court Judge Blocked From Promotion For 3 Years

The National Judicial Council (NJC), has approved the recommendation that some judges who engaged in age fabrication should be forced to retire.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the NJC approved the recommendations during its 109th meeting held on June 25, 2025, which was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun

A statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the Deputy Director of Information, NJC, Kemi Ogedengbe disclosed that 10 among the 11 judges that would be forced to retire are from Imo State Judiciary.

‘Nine of the affected judges from 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 noted.

Among the nine judges found to have engaged in age fabrication are five High Court judges and four judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State.

They include: 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), Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal).

 Justice Babatunde Bakre of Ogun State High Court and Justice H. O. Ajayi of Kwara State High Court would also be forced to retire.

The statement added 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 full well 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 NJC added that this decision was taken after consideration of the reports of its Investigation Committee on allegations of age fabrication against 18 judges in Imo State.

NJC restated its earlier directive to the Imo State governor, Mr Hope Uzodinma, to swear in the most senior judge of the state as acting Chief Judge while it however, dismissed age fabrication allegations raised against three judges of the State High Court whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy citing want of merit.

Six High Court judges in 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 are: Justice I. O. Agugua, Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu and Justice L. C. Azuama.

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 NJC, 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; Justice P. U. Nnodum, Justice Alma Ngozi Eluwa, Justice Matthew Chinedu Ijezie and Justice Ononogbo Linus were absolved from blame because they genuinely corrected their dates of birth to their disadvantage.

The NJC has also announced decision to block Justice Isaac Essien of the National Industrial Court from promotion to a higher court for three years citing misconduct.

In the case of Justice Essien, it was noted that he wrongly ordered the confiscation of over N1 billion belonging to Nasarawa State Government and its Local Governments, despite being aware that there was a pending appeal and a pending application for stay of execution.

 The NJC also noted that Isaac had refused to step aside from the case after the Nasarawa State Government had 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’ the statement added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you