The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised urgent concerns over what it describes as an unprecedented constitutional crisis and near-total paralysis of the judiciary in Imo State, warning that citizens are being denied access to justice due to the prolonged absence of a substantive Chief Judge and Attorney-General.
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The Chairman of the Owerri Branch of the NBA, Barr. Chris Ihentuge, condemned the state government for allowing the vacuum to persist. “This is the first time in the history of Imo State that the judiciary has been without a head. This is an aberration which should be condemned by all well-meaning citizens,” he said. Ihentuge framed the situation as a grave constitutional breach, questioning why the judiciary was being sidelined while other arms of government continue to function.
The absence of judicial leadership has created severe practical consequences. Ihentuge noted that despite a government announcement in July regarding a new Acting Chief Judge, no swearing-in has occurred. “Throughout this period, there was no vacation judge in Imo State to handle cases that need urgent attention. Letters of Administration are not being issued, and cases filed in Owerri are not being assigned to courts,” he said, warning that the backlog is denying citizens vital legal services.
Prominent lawyer Barr. Chigozie Ezekiel echoed the NBA’s concerns, describing the situation as “heartbreaking” and detailing its real-world impact. “I had a client whose house was suddenly marked for demolition, and for the first time in my practice I had to tell him there was nothing we could do because the courts were shut down,” he said. Ezekiel also cited how urgent matters such as bail applications and injunctions go unheard, while the Ministry of Justice remains rudderless, and security agencies operate without judicial oversight.
The crisis has been compounded by the recent compulsory retirement of nine Imo judges by the National Judicial Council for age falsification, leaving the bench weakened and demoralised, according to Ezekiel. “Practising law in Imo right now feels like working under a silent state of emergency. Urgent relief is blocked, rights are trampled, and the rule of law is hanging by a thread,” he lamented.
Despite claims by the state government, through Special Adviser on Public Communication, Mr. Jones Onwuasoanya, that the judiciary remains stable and operational, the NBA has issued an ultimatum, stating it will take “decisive steps” if the situation is not resolved by the end of the court vacation.
Lawyers in the state are demanding the immediate swearing-in of the appointed Acting Chief Judge, the prompt appointment of a credible Attorney-General, and the proper reconstitution of the Judicial Service Commission to restore functionality and integrity to the Imo State judiciary.
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