₦airaland Forum

CJN Kekere-Ekun, NJC chairperson, had pledged sweeping reforms aimed at promoting judicial excellence, transparency, and effective administration of justice.

by Monday Ateboh


The National Judicial Council (NJC) has commenced a discreet but far-reaching investigation into some highly placed judges in the country, including heads of courts, insiders at the council have told PREMIUM TIMES.

The NJC is the constitutional body responsible for appointing, promoting and disciplining judicial officers in Nigeria.

The 24-member council, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, derives its authority from Paragraph 20 of Part One of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

Our sources said the ongoing “extraordinary investigation” was triggered by a wave of “damning and disturbing petitions” filed against some unnamed “very senior judicial officers.”

“The allegation against one of the senior judges is so grave that Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun has ordered an urgent probe to identify culpable individuals and cleanse the judiciary,” an official familiar with the development told PREMIUM TIMES, adding that the inquiry is being handled with strict confidentiality and is known only to a handful of insiders.

“I can tell you that the NJC has, in recent times, received several petitions and complaints alleging serious and shocking misconduct, forgery, age falsification and false asset declarations,” the source said. “Deeply disturbed by the weight of the allegations, the CJN is mobilising the NJC for urgent administrative action. She does not want these claims to further erode public confidence in the judiciary.”

Our sources declined to disclose the identities of the judges under investigation or the individuals who filed the petitions, saying they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

When contacted, Tobi Soniyi, Senior Special Assistant to the CJN on Media, directed all enquiries to the NJC, saying he had not been briefed on the issue.

The NJC’s Deputy Director (Information), Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, also told PREMIUM TIMES she was unaware of any such probe.

Justice Kekere-Ekun had, in September 2025, during a ceremony marking the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year, pledged sweeping reforms aimed at promoting judicial excellence, transparency and effective justice administration.

Earlier, during her swearing-in as acting CJN in August 2024, she acknowledged that public confidence in the judiciary was waning, a troubling trend she vowed to reverse.

It remains unclear how far she has progressed in her efforts to sanitise the judiciary. However, since assuming office in August 2024, the NJC has imposed disciplinary measures on several judges found culpable of misconduct.

On 15 November 2024, under Justice Kekere-Ekun’s leadership, the NJC announced the compulsory retirement of two judges, the suspension of two others for two years, and the issuance of a formal warning to another.

Seven investigative committees were also constituted to examine allegations of judicial misconduct against several other judges.

Seven months later, on 26 June 2025, the NJC compulsorily retired 10 judges, cautioned five others, and barred a judge of the National Industrial Court from promotion for three years.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/859020-exclusive-tension-in-nigerian-judiciary-as-njc-begins-probe-of-top-judges.html

It is good like that lets the fight begin,mrs Kekere ekun actually Nigerian judiciary need to be cleanse off and I pray God guide and protect you to do so.

Hope is not those who they know that will not work for they in 2027

Which tension
Stop bugging us with these "flying" news. After all, at the end of the day, they will still sweep whatever they find under the carpet. 😎

Good move but it shouldn't political please 🙏

unlikely anything tangible ll come out of this, abi no be naija

Another jamboree to deceive their gullible followers.


apc want to force some members of the judiciary into their terrorist party.

Welcome development, God bless Nigeria

That one na their business be that

If James Omotosho not included, you still not ready to clean up judiciary.

Omotosho has become tools in the hands of Wike and APC to destabilise oppositions and to make Tyrant an emperor in Zoo republic.

Both the probed and the prober may be reading this news in the probed's house, laughing at us over a hot plate of pepper soup and Maltina.

Court that gives one person life imprisonment and another that committed a worse crime is called repentant and given cash gifts

Pat081:
Hope is not those who they know that will not work for they in 2027

Another good point 👉👉 from you.

Judges probing Judges...Unserious people

Judges that are marrying off their kids to one another, appointing their kids into juicy judicial offices to replace them when they retire...These judges have turned the Higher Courts into a dynasty where it is near impossible for one to get in unless one is related to one top judge or the other..

That should be handled first of all, if there is indeed a genuine desire to sanitize the Judiciary...Sack all the nepotism kids in there and make the selection process more transparent....

If they are serious, Military intelligence and DSS should be the ones doing the probing of these Judges.


Truth be said, some of our judges deserve a holiday in a military guardroom...

Story story, story! I don't see anything coming out of it.

Scammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Breaker001:
Which tension
Stop bugging us with these "flying" news. After all, at the end of the day, they will still sweep whatever they find under the carpet. 😎

Well, that's a possibility.

The case of Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia remains fresh in our minds. Despite all that was lined up against her and all the shenanigans she pulled during her matter's investigation and "trial", the case still evaporated.

JuanDeDios:
Well, that's a possibility.

It's not a possibility! It's a spoiler 😎

dre11:
CJN Kekere-Ekun, NJC chairperson, had pledged sweeping reforms aimed at promoting judicial excellence, transparency, and effective administration of justice.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/859020-exclusive-tension-in-nigerian-judiciary-as-njc-begins-probe-of-top-judges.html

The Truth is that the Chief Justice is hitting 🎯 the right thing but too many issues at hand.
For example,how do you want Average Nigerian or the Masses to TRUST THE JUDICIARY THAT HAS KEPT CASE FILES- FOR OVER 10- YEARS AND ABOVE,
- In the National Industrial Courts
To
- Appeal Courts and Despite the Many Wasted Years,Common Man can only be hopeful that he will receive Justice BECAUSE DELAY IS NOT DENIAL,
BUT GOD IS THE FINAL JUDGE IN MOST OF THESE CASES.
BUT WHY IS IT THAT POLITICIANS GET MORE JUDGEMENT THAN THE MASSES?

merits:
It is good like that lets the fight begin,mrs Kekere ekun actually Nigerian judiciary need to be cleanse off and I pray God guide and protect you to do so.

This JagaBandeet protégé is only going to push out those who don’t align themselves with the wicked agenda of Oshiomhole’s Assembly of Past Criminals, APC.

This exercise is designed to make 2027 easy for the continuation of worsening APC extreme poverty shege. No more no less.

chisomkachy:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn the alleged money laundering suit it filed at the Federal High Court against Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa.

Naija News understands that the anti-graft did not give any particular reason for its application for withdrawal.

Following the application to withdraw, Justice Nicholas Oweibo discharged the ‘lien/Post No Debit’ placed on Obasa’s three accounts in Standard Chartered Bank.

The accounts are (US Dollars) 0001852063; (Current) 0001852056 and (Saving) 5002309624.

The judge also set aside the ex-parte orders he made on September 15, 2020, which led to the freezing of the accounts.

Recall that the court on September 15, 2020, granted an interim order freezing Obasa’s accounts following the EFCC’s application in a suit marked FHC/LCS/1064/2020.

The agency had said it was investigating the Speaker for the alleged offences of conspiracy, diversion of funds, abuse of office and money laundering.

But Justice Oweibo, on August 16, 2023, heard the application to unfreeze the accounts in his chamber.

During the hearing, the EFCC was represented by Mr. Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, while Obasa was represented by Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN).

The EFCC lawyer told the court that the application to unfreeze the accounts was pursuant to Section 44(2)(K) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Sections 26, 29 and 34 (1) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

Section 44 of the Constitution concerns constitutional rights to property.

Justice Oweibo held: “It is hereby ordered that an order is hereby granted to the respondent/applicant setting aside the ex-parte orders of this court made on the 15th day of September 2020 upon the ex-parte motion of the Applicant/ Respondent in relation the funds of the Respondent/Applicant domiciled in the accounts stated in the following schedule:

“ACCOUNT NAME, FINANCIAL ACCOUNT INSTITUTIONS, TYPE OF ACCOUNT, 1. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered, (US Dollars) 0001852063 2. Mudasiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered (Current) 0001852056 3. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, Standard Chartered (Saving) 5002309624.

“Issued at Lagos, under the seal of this Honourable Court and by the hands of the Presiding Judge this 16th day of August 2023.”

https://dailytimesng.com/obasa-efcc-withdraws-suit/

Previous Threads:
https://www.nairaland.com/5877642/obasa-64-bank-accounts-linked#89878603

https://wap.nairaland.com/6167844/lagos-assembly-speaker-obasa-efcc#94728150

https://www.nairaland.com/6168612/obasa-court-orders-efcc-freeze#94741534

merits:
It is good like that lets the fight begin,mrs Kekere ekun actually Nigerian judiciary need to be cleanse off and I pray God guide and protect you to do so.

Tinubu and wike go just dey laugh 😃 you.

Tinubu: wike I know say Nigerians mumu but I no say the mumu carry stupidity join body.

Wike: baba T, no tell you. Nigerians are foooish.

The corrupt probing the corrupt. Only in Nigeria.

Periodic overhauling of judicial practitioners is a recommendable practice that should be encouraged to put our judges on check. There is no cause for alarm if they maintain their integrity

You don’t know whom you are dealing with. We own this game, we run the show.

The Judge that made Peter Obi the governor of Anambra after losing woefully in the election should be probed

You dare not touch our ever loyal and beloved Justice Omoto! We love you.

Tension? What type of tension- please don't make me laugh-; are they not all equally as corrupt or even moreso than the people they are proving?

omoredia:
Court that gives one person life imprisonment and another that committed a worse crime is called repentant and given cash gifts

While the one they give life prison, instrumental to killings several people and other destruction of government and people property, the others only agitating for freedom.

merits:
It is good like that lets the fight begin,mrs Kekere ekun actually Nigerian judiciary need to be cleanse off and I pray God guide and protect you to do so.

Kekere Ekun sef is complicit in her judgements, past or present cos some of her judgement are not explicit, since Lagos days.

As far as am.concerned, this is just the probe of judges that are not compliant with the renew whatever....

May God help Nigeria
...

dre11:
CJN Kekere-Ekun, NJC chairperson, had pledged sweeping reforms aimed at promoting judicial excellence, transparency, and effective administration of justice.




https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/859020-exclusive-tension-in-nigerian-judiciary-as-njc-begins-probe-of-top-judges.html

They said discreet, yet the unprofessional newspaper has rushed to put it in the public space, NBC should begin to punish media houses for this type of things .

Story for the gods and the chief culprit is whom you are sending to the Appeal Court.

My lord KMO, were the judges responsible for the Supreme Court not sitting to deal with the SoE in Rivers for over 160 days?