The National Judicial Council (NJC) has reportedly initiated a discreet but extensive investigation into several high-ranking judges in Nigeria, including heads of courts, insiders have said.
The council, led by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, is constitutionally empowered to appoint, promote, and discipline judicial officers under Paragraph 20 of Part One of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Sources described the probe as an “extraordinary investigation” triggered by a surge of serious petitions alleging misconduct against unnamed senior judicial officers.
One insider said the allegations are so severe that the CJN has directed urgent inquiries to identify culpable individuals and restore confidence in the judiciary.
“The NJC has received multiple complaints alleging shocking misconduct, forgery, falsification of age, and inaccurate asset declarations,” a source said. “The Chief Justice is acting swiftly to prevent further erosion of public trust in the judicial system.”
Details regarding the identities of the judges under investigation or the petitioners have not been disclosed. Requests for comment to Tobi Soniyi, Senior Special Assistant to the CJN on Media, and Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, NJC Deputy Director (Information), were met with statements indicating they had no official information to share.
Justice Kekere-Ekun has previously emphasised judicial reforms. In September 2025, she launched initiatives to enhance transparency, accountability, and effective administration of justice. Upon her appointment as acting CJN in August 2024, she acknowledged declining public confidence in the judiciary and committed to reversing the trend.
Since assuming office, the NJC has taken decisive disciplinary actions. On 15 November 2024, it compulsorily retired two judges, suspended two others for two years, and issued a formal warning to another. Investigative committees were also established to examine other allegations.
By 26 June 2025, the NJC had retired 10 judges, cautioned five others, and barred one judge of the National Industrial Court from promotion for three years.
The scope of the current probe remains undisclosed, but insiders say it reflects a continued drive by the CJN and the NJC to sanitise the judiciary and safeguard public trust in the country’s legal system.
