ABUJA, Nigeria (ChatnewsTV) — The National Judicial Council (NJC) has ordered the compulsory retirement of two senior judicial officers for falsifying their ages to extend their terms of service. The Chief Judge of Imo State, T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka, and the Grand Kadi of Yobe State, Babagana Mahdi, are set to step down following the NJC’s recommendation, announced on Friday.
The decision, reached during a two-day NJC meeting, came after investigations revealed discrepancies in the birth dates provided by the two judges, allowing them to serve past their legitimate retirement age. The Council’s findings, shared by NJC Deputy Director (Information) Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, highlighted that Mr. Chikeka had declared two different birth dates—October 27, 1956, and October 27, 1958—while Mr. Mahdi’s records indicated three conflicting dates of birth in 1959.
The council’s investigative panel concluded that Mr. Chikeka’s true birth date was October 27, 1956, and noted that he had sworn an affidavit in 2006, altering his birth year to 1958. As for Mr. Mahdi, the panel determined his actual birth year to be 1952, meaning he extended his judicial career by 12 years through falsification.
“Hon. Justice T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka was recommended to the Governor of Imo State for compulsory retirement with effect from 27 October 2021,” the NJC’s statement read. “All salaries and allowances received in excess by His Lordship from that date till now should be refunded to the Council.”
The NJC similarly recommended Mr. Mahdi’s removal to the Governor of Yobe State, demanding that he repay all salaries and benefits accrued during his unlawful tenure.
This move aligns with Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun’s commitment to restore public trust in the judiciary since assuming office in August. Her leadership has been marked by increased scrutiny of judicial conduct and adherence to ethical standards.
Critics, however, argue that the NJC’s actions, which involve only compulsory retirement and reimbursement of overpaid funds, fall short of true accountability. Professor Chidi Odinkalu, a prominent legal scholar, recently highlighted the issue in an article, noting that judges who falsify their ages continue to receive full retirement benefits despite their misconduct.
“The mere compulsory retirement of such judges is an inadequate response to what is essentially a criminal offense,” Odinkalu wrote. He emphasized that falsification for illicit gains falls under the jurisdiction of anti-corruption agencies like the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which have yet to pursue cases against implicated judges.
The NJC also issued disciplinary measures against other judges for misconduct. Justice G. C. Aguma of Rivers State High Court and Justice A. O. Nwabunike of Anambra State High Court were both suspended without pay for one year and placed on a watch list for an additional two years.
Justice Aguma was penalized for mishandling a garnishee proceeding, while Justice Nwabunike was sanctioned for violating the judicial code of conduct. The NJC’s statement concluded with a cautionary note to other judges, reiterating the council’s commitment to upholding the integrity of Nigeria’s judicial system.
This will be the first NJC disciplinary session chaired by CJN Kekere-Ekun.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
