The National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended the appointment of 86 Justices and judges for the Court of Appeal, High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sharia Courts of Appeal, and Customary Courts of Appeal across Nigeria. These recommendations emerged from the NJC’s 105th plenary meeting, held from May 15 to 16, 2024, and were made by the council’s Interview Committee on Appointment of Judicial Officers of all Superior Courts of Record in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday, May 17, NJC’s spokesman, Soji Oye, detailed the appointments. The NJC recommended 22 Justices for the Court of Appeal, including notable figures such as Justice Nyesom-Wike Eberechi Suzzette of the Rivers State High Court and Justice Nnamdi Okwy Dimgba of the Federal High Court.
The list of recommended Justices for the Court of Appeal also includes:
- Justice Olukayode Adegbola Adeniyi, High Court of the FCT
- Justice Okorowo Donatus Uwaezuoke, Federal High Court
- Justice Lateef Babajide Lawal-Akapo, Lagos State High Court
- Justice Kwahar Polycarp Terna
- Justice Ruqayat Oremei Ayoola
- Justice Eleojo Eneche
- Justice Asma’u Akanbi-Yusuf
- Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman
- Justice Abdu Dogo
- Justice Fadawu Umaru
- Justice Ishaq Mohammed Sani
- Justice Zainab Bage Abubakar
- Justice Abdulazeez M. Anka
- Justice Nwoye Victoria Tochukwu
- Justice Nwabunkeonye Onwosi
- Justice Ngozika Uwazurunonye Okaisabor
- Justice Ntong Festus Ntong
- Justice Nehizena Idemudia Afolabi
- Justice Akinyemi Abiodun Azeem
- Justice Oyewumi Oyejoju Oyebiola
The NJC further recommended the appointment of 12 judges for the High Court of the FCT, 7 for the Imo State High Court, 6 for the Bauchi State High Court, 3 for the Taraba State High Court, 13 for the Lagos State High Court, and 4 for the Kogi State High Court.
Additionally, appointments were recommended for the Sharia and Customary Courts of Appeal:
- Two judges for the Jigawa State High Court
- Five kadis for the Bauchi Sharia Court of Appeal
- Five kadis for the Kogi State Sharia Court of Appeal
- One kadi for the Jigawa State Court of Appeal
- Three judges for the Imo State Customary Court of Appeal
- Two judges for the Taraba State Customary Court of Appeal
- One judge for the Kogi State Customary Court of Appeal
According to Oye, the appointed judicial officers will be sworn in after the NJC’s recommendations are approved by the President and the relevant state governors.
