NJC approves appointment of 33 judicial officers

The National Judicial Council on Thursday approved the appointments of 33 heads of courts in 11 states.

In a statement made available to newsmen by its spokesman, Soji Oye, the NJC said the list of successful candidates has been sent to the various state governors for further action.

According to the statement, the decision to send the list of judicial officers to the various governors was made at its meeting on December 17 and 18.

Some of the states for which new chief judges were approved are Anambra, Kebbi and Cross River.

NJC’s full statement is published below…

19TH DECEMBER, 2019

• NJC recommends appointment of (6) Heads of Court, and (26) Twenty-six Judicial Officers for State High Courts and one (1) Kadi, Sharia Court of Appeal;

The National Judicial Council under the Chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Dr. Justice I. T. Muhammad CFR, at its Meeting of 17th and 18th December, 2019, considered the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee and resolved to recommend to the Governors of Anambra, Kebbi, Cross River, Zamfara, Ogun, Osun, Rivers, Imo, Sokoto, Ekiti, and Niger States, Thirty-three (33) successful candidates for appointment as Heads of Courts and other Judicial Officers in Nigeria.

They are as follows:

1. APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, ANAMBRA STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Hon. Justice Onochie Manasseh Anyachebelu
2. APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, KEBBI STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Hon. Justice Mohammed Suleiman Ambursa
3. APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE, CROSS RIVER STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Hon. Justice Akon Bassey Ikpeme
4. APPOINTMENT OF GRAND KADI, ZAMFARA STATE SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL
   i) Hon. Kadi Umaru Muhammad Gusau
5. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OGUN STATE
   i) Hon. Justice Mobolaji Ayodele Ojo
6. APPOINTMENT OF PRESIDENT, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, OSUN STATE
   i) Hon. Justice Foluke Eunice Awolalu
7. APPOINTMENT OF FOUR (4) JUDGES, RIVERS STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Stephens Dirialakeibama Jumbo
   ii) Chuku Mark Onyema
   iii) Ngbor-Abina Lemea
   iv) Fibresima Florence Atili
8. APPOINTMENT OF TWO (2) JUDGES, OGUN STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Olufunmilayo O. Stanley
   ii) Olukemi Olusola Yetunde Oresanya
9. APPOINTMENT OF SEVEN (7) JUDGES, IMO STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Onyeka Vincent Ifeanyichukwu
   ii) Leweanya Kechinyere A.
   iii) Victoria Chinyere Isiguzo
   iv) Vivian O. B. Ekezie
   v) Eze Nonye Eke
   vi) Ihuoma Grace Chukwunyere
   vii) Ibeawuchi Edith Chinyere
10. APPOINTMENT OF THREE (3) JUDGES, SOKOTO STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
    i) Aminu Garba Sifawa
    ii) Mohammed Mohammed
    iii) Raliya Uthman Muhammad
11. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, EKITI STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
    i) Obafemi Makanju Fasanmi
12. APPOINTMENT OF THREE (3) JUDGES, NIGER STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
    i) Salisu Alhassan Majidadi
    ii) Binta Bawa
    iii) Danladi Ahmad
13. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) KADI, KEBBI STATE SHARIA COURT OF APPEAL
    i) Bello Khalid Jega
14. APPOINTMENT OF ONE (1) JUDGE, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, RIVERS STATE

i) Amadi Ericonda

1. APPOINTMENT OF THREE (3) JUDGES, OGUN STATE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE
   i) Michael Kolawole Peters
   ii) Anthony Olusesan Araba
   iii) Adebisi Olusola Femi-Segun
2. APPOINTMENT OF TWO (2) JUDGES, CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL, IMO STATE
   i) Obichere Ijeoma Josephine
   ii) Nze Ifeanyi Tennyson

All recommended candidates are expected to be sworn-in after approval by their respective State Governors and confirmation by the respective State House of Assembly.

Soji Oye, Esq
Director, Information