Chief Justice of Nigeria
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The Chief Justice of Nigeria or CJN is the head of the judicial arm of the government of Nigeria, and presides over the country's Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council[1] The current Chief Justice is Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad who was appointed 22 March 2019. He took over from the controversially appointed on 25 January 2019 by the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in acting capacity, pending the determination of the trial against Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen the former Chief Justice, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the highest court in Nigeria and its decisions are final. The Chief Justice of Nigeria is nominated by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon recommendation by the National Judicial Council and is subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The CJN holds office at the pleasure of the Nigerian constitution and can only be removed from office by death or on attainment of age 70 whichever occurs first or by impeachment by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which requires a super majority of the members of the Nigerian Senate
List of chief justices[]
Source: Federal Judicial Service Commission, Nigeria
| Chief Justice | Term |
|---|---|
| Sir Edwin Speed | 1914–1918 |
| Sir Ralph Combe | 1918–1929 |
| Donald Kingdon | 1929–1946 |
| Sir John Verity | 1946–1954 |
| Sir Stafford Sutton | 1955–1958 |
| Sir Adetokunbo Ademola | 1958–1972 |
| Taslim Olawale Elias | 1972–1975 |
| Darnley Arthur Alexander | 1975–1979 |
| Atanda Fatai Williams | 1979–1983 |
| George Sodeinde Sowemimo | 1983–1985 |
| Ayo Gabriel Irikefe | 1985–1987 |
| Mohammed Bello | 1987–1995 |
| Muhammad Lawal Uwais | 1995–2006 |
| Salihu Moddibo Alfa Belgore | 2006–2007 |
| Idris Legbo Kutigi | 2007–2009 |
| Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu | 2009–2011 |
| Dahiru Musdapher | 2011–2012 |
| Aloma Mariam Mukhtar[2][3] | 2012–2014 |
| Mahmud Mohammed | 2014–2016 |
| Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen | 2017–2019 |
| Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad | 2019–present |
List of previous chief justices[]
- Lagos (1863 – 1929)
- Benjamin Way (? – 1866)
- John Carr (1866 – ) (West African Settlements Supreme Court)
- George French (1867 – 1874)
- James Marshall (1874 – 1886)
- Sir John Salman Smith (1886 – 1895)
- Sir Thomas Crossley Rayner (1895 – 1902)
- Sir William Nicholl (1902 – 1908)
- Northern Nigeria
- Alastair Davidson (1900 – 1901)
- Henry Cowper Gollan (1901 – 1905)
- Sir M R Menendez (1905 – 1908)
- Sir Edwin Speed (1908 – 1913)
- Southern Nigeria
- Henry Green Kelly (1900 – 1902)
- Willoughby Osborne (1906 – 1913)
References[]
- ^ "Constitution". The National Judicial Council. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "ALOMA MUKHTAR: Making of Nigeria's Female CJN". P.M. News. Independent Communications Network Limited. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
- ^ "Jonathan swears in Nigeria's first female chief justice". The Punch. Ajibola Ogunsola. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
External links[]
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- Chief Justices of Nigeria
- Judiciary of Nigeria
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