By Paul Joseph
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has reportedly initiated a confidential but wide-ranging investigation into several high-ranking judges in Nigeria, including heads of courts, following a spate of troubling petitions alleging serious misconduct, insiders told reporters.
The NJC, constitutionally mandated to appoint, promote, and discipline judicial officers, is led by Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
The 24-member council derives its authority from Paragraph 20 of Part One of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Sources familiar with the probe described it as an “extraordinary investigation”, triggered by a wave of “damning and disturbing petitions” against unnamed 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,” one official said. “The inquiry is being handled with strict confidentiality and is known only to a handful of insiders.”
The petitions reportedly include accusations of serious misconduct, forgery, age falsification, and false asset declarations.
According to the source, the CJN is determined to act swiftly to prevent these allegations from further eroding public confidence in the judiciary.
The identities of the judges under investigation, as well as those who filed the complaints, have not been disclosed.
Attempts to reach officials for comment yielded limited responses: Tobi Soniyi, Senior Special Assistant to the CJN on Media, directed queries to the NJC, while Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, Deputy Director of Information at the NJC, said she was unaware of any ongoing probe.
Justice Kekere-Ekun has made judicial reform and transparency central to her tenure. In September 2025, at the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year, she pledged sweeping reforms to promote judicial excellence and restore public trust.
Since assuming office in August 2024, the NJC has already taken decisive disciplinary action against judges found guilty of misconduct:
15 November 2024: Compulsory retirement of two judges, suspension of two others for two years, and formal warning to another.
26 June 2025: Compulsory retirement of 10 judges, cautioning of five others, and barring a National Industrial Court judge from promotion for three years.
Seven investigative committees have also been set up to examine allegations against several other judges, signaling a sustained effort to sanitise the judiciary.
Insiders say the ongoing investigation underscores the CJN’s commitment to institutional integrity and the urgent need to safeguard public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
“Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun is mobilising the NJC for urgent administrative action,” one source said. “She does not want these claims to further erode public confidence in the judiciary.”
While the probe remains highly secretive, observers note that the NJC’s proactive stance and prior disciplinary measures reflect a continuing push to enforce accountability and transparency at the highest levels of Nigeria’s courts.
The investigation is ongoing, and further updates are expected once the NJC concludes its review of the allegations.
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