No less than 18 judges in the Imo State judiciary are scheduled to appear before the National Judicial Council (NJC), over alleged age falsification and misconduct.
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A source in the Imo State judiciary disclosed that the summons was sequel to a petition to the judges’ umbrella body, by a civil society group, the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP).
A source further informed TheNigeriaLawyer that this was the reason Governor Hope Uzodimma bypassed the top three candidates on the nomination list and selected the fourth-ranking candidate instead.
According to the source, discrepancies were found between the Call-to-Bar dates of the leading candidates and the information in the Imo State judicial register, prompting suspicions of age falsification. Meanwhile, a Justice of the Court of Appeal is reportedly chairing the National Judicial Council (NJC) panel investigating the matter, with proceedings expected to continue tomorrow.
This was as a human rights lawyer and activist, Christopher Chidera, has called for the sanction of appeal court judges over the abuse of ex parte order to oppress Nigerians.
CSEP had last month dragged 18 out of the 24 judges in Imo State before the NJC over alleged age falsification and misconduct.
The Executive Secretary of the Coalition, Comrade Onyebuchi Emmanuel, had in the petition, addressed to the NJC Chairman and Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), accused 18 of the judges of falsifying their ages at various times in order to secure appointment into the judiciary, thereby gaining undue advantage.
“The Civil Society Engagement Platform CSEP, a powerful coalition of leading civil rights activists in Nigeria has unearthed an unprecedented age falsification scandal of an alarming proportion in the Imo State Judiciary.
“This is at a level never seen before in Nigeria, involving a whooping 18 Judges of Imo State Judiciary. Unbelievable!
“Your lordship may recall that CSEP through its diligent and painstaking covert operations, exposed the former Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Chikeka, for the same crime of age falsification.
“We followed up with a petition to the NJC and she was eventually sacked after due process was followed.
“We hereby demand action on this petition so as to save the Judiciary from continued ridicule as a result of the presence of certain Judges who are (allegedly) known to have falsified their ages and still parade themselves as Judges.
“We are confident that you are one person who will not allow the Judiciary to be brought to ridicule,” the letter had read.
A source at the Imo judiciary disclosed that the affected judges had been summoned by the NJC to defend the allegations.
The appointment of an acting Chief Judge of Imo State had pitted the Imo State Government against the leadership of the judiciary for quite some time.
The judges’ umbrella body had rejected the candidate of Governor Hope Uzodinma, on the grounds that the appointment breached the constitutional hierarchy of the judiciary.
Following the sack of the former CJ, Uzodinma had appointed the fourth most senior judge as CJ, after by-passing the three most senior judges.
The governor predicated his action on the grounds that the three most senior judges were not qualified to occupy the office of Chief Judge due to various alleged infractions ranging from age falsification to misconduct.
But the NJC refused to accept the governor’s candidate, ordering him to comply with constitutional provisions by appointing the most senior judge as CJ.
Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer and activist, Christopher Chidera has called for the sanction of appeal court judges over the abuse of ex parte order to oppress Nigerians.
The lawyer insisted that if Justice Inyang Ekwo could face sanctions for his misconduct, then the Appeal Court justices who upheld the illicit ex parte decree prescribing Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) issued by the late Justice Kafarati must also be held accountable.
Noting this in a statement, he said no one was above the law, not even those who wear judicial robes.
He noted the reckless issuance of ex parte orders without notice to the opposing party was a dangerous tool in the hands of corrupt judges who used them as weapons of oppression, manipulation, and political vendetta.
Chidera maintained that the abuse of ex parte orders in Nigeria’s judicial system was a festering wound that threatened the very foundation of justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
The lawyer, therefore, called on the relevant authorities in the judiciary to purge those who treat ex parte orders as tools for personal enrichment or political expediency and restore public confidence in the courts.
Among the accused are:
- Hon. Justice I. O. Agugua, with conflicting birth dates of May 10, 1959, and May 10, 1960, and additional allegations of gross misconduct.
- Hon. Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu, with birth dates listed as July 7, 1963, and July 7, 1965.
- Hon. Justice L. C. Azuama, showing birth dates of November 11, 1957, and November 11, 1960.
- Hon. Justice B. C. Iheka, with records indicating December 24, 1958, and December 24, 1962.
- Hon. Justice M. E. Nwagbaoso, with a significant discrepancy between August 20, 1952, and August 20, 1962.
- Hon. Justice Kechinyere Leweanya, with multiple conflicting dates: April 26, 1968; 1970; 1972; and 1974.
Others include Hon. Justices P. U. Nnodum, Vincent I. Onyeka, Vivian O. B. Ekezie, Alma Ngozi Eluwa, Okereke Chinyere Ngozi, Innocent Chidi Theawuchi, Mathew Chinedu Ijezie, Ononogbo Chidi Linus, Tennyson Nze, Ofoha Uchenna, Everyman Eleanya, and Rosemond Ibe — each with documented inconsistencies in their birth records.
CSEP’s investigation also uncovered evidence of code of conduct violations by Hon. Justice I. O. Agugua, further questioning her suitability as a judicial officer. The coalition emphasized that judicial officers are bound by a code requiring them to avoid impropriety, respect the law, and uphold public confidence in the judiciary’s integrity.
This is not CSEP’s first foray into exposing judicial misconduct. The group previously blew the whistle on age falsification by the former Chief Judge of Imo State, Hon. Justice Chikeka, leading to her dismissal after NJC investigations confirmed CSEP’s allegations. Through covert operations and citizen collaboration via toll-free lines, CSEP has consistently unearthed corruption, perjury, and human rights violations across various government levels.
The petition references past NJC actions to underscore the gravity of the offense:
- In 2013, the NJC recommended the compulsory retirement of Abia State’s Acting Chief Judge, Mr. Nwanosike Shadrack, for age falsification.
- In 2020, Hon. Justice Abdul-Kareem Babatunde Abdulrasaq of Osun State was retired for falsifying his birth date, with orders to refund salaries earned post-retirement.
- In 2018, the NJC backdated the retirement of Delta State’s Hon. Justice Joshua E. Ikede to 2016 after confirming age falsification, requiring him to repay salaries received thereafter.
CSEP Identifies 18 More Judges In Age Falsification Scandal, Urges NJC To Investigate
CSEP noted that it had raised the issue with the Imo State Judicial Service Commission on February 20, 2025, but received no response. The coalition warned that failure to act could trigger massive protests to shut down the Commission’s office, labeling its inaction as complicity in the scandal.
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