Thirty-four lawyers nominated for appointment as judges of Nigeria’s Federal High Court (FHC) have been disqualified after failing an integrity screening process introduced by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The integrity test forms part of revised appointment guidelines approved by the NJC under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The policy is aimed at strengthening public confidence in the judiciary by preventing individuals with questionable conduct from being elevated to the bench.
A total of 62 legal practitioners had earlier emerged from a computer-based test (CBT) conducted by the Federal High Court, after which their names were forwarded to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) for further consideration. As required under the new framework, the FJSC subjected all nominees to an integrity review that included public feedback.
To facilitate this process, the names of the 62 candidates were published on September 17, 2025, inviting members of the public to submit petitions or comments on the nominees’ integrity, reputation, and suitability for judicial office.
According to a source familiar with the process, multiple petitions were received against some of the nominees. One notable case involved a female nominee who was accused of demanding and receiving bribes in the course of her official duties. The allegation was referred to the Police Service Commission (PSC) for investigation. The PSC reportedly established that the nominee had demanded and received a ₦1 million bribe in relation to a court matter handled by her office.
Based on the findings from this and other petitions, the FJSC cleared only 28 candidates, concluding that the remaining 34 failed to meet the integrity requirements. The approved 28 names were subsequently forwarded to the NJC, while the others were dropped from the process.
The shortlisted candidates are expected to appear before the NJC interview panel ahead of the Council’s meeting scheduled for January 2026, where final decisions on appointments to the Federal High Court bench will be made.
Judicial authorities say the enhanced screening process reflects a broader effort to promote transparency, accountability, and ethical standards within Nigeria’s judicial system.
Source: Africa Publicity
