NJC Recommends Compulsory Retirement for 10 Judges, Approves 21 New Appointments

 The National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended the compulsory retirement of 10 judges on June 26 for misconduct, inefficiency, and age falsification, following a two-day meeting chaired by Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. 

The decision, aimed at sanitizing Nigeria’s judiciary, targets judges from the Federal High Court, State High Courts, and Sharia Courts, with five accused of accepting N200 million in bribes to influence rulings in 2024.

The NJC also recommended 21 new judges for appointment across federal and state courts, including eight for the Federal High Court and six for Lagos State, to address a 30% judicial vacancy rate. The new appointees, vetted for integrity and competence, include three women, boosting female representation to 25% in the judiciary. The council’s action follows a 2024 report revealing 1,500 pending cases due to judicial delays, costing Nigeria $2 billion in economic losses annually.

The retirements have sparked debate, with some praising the NJC’s anti-corruption stance and others alleging political targeting. The new judges, set to assume roles by Q3 2025, will undergo mandatory training to align with digital court systems introduced in 2024. The NJC’s reforms aim to restore public trust, with 60% of Nigerians distrusting the judiciary, according to 2024 surveys.