By Iheanyi Enwerem
The National Judicial Council at its 109th Meeting presided over by the Honourable, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat M. O. Kekere-Ekun, GCON, held on 25 June 2025 recommended compulsory retirement of ten Judges of Imo State Judiciary.
Nine (9) of the affected Judges of the Imo State Judiciary were found to have altered their dates of birth in their official records in order to confer on themselves the undue advantage of staying longer in service while the other Judicial Officer, Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was found to have made himself available to be sworn in as acting Chief Judge of Imo State High Court knowing fully well that he was number four in the hierarchy of Judges of the Imo State Judiciary and contrary to Section 271 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
The nine Judges found to have falsified their records, comprising five (5) High Court Judges and four Judges of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State are:
Hon Justice M. E. Nwagboso (High Court)
Hon Justice B. C. Iheka (High Court)
Hon Justice K. A. Leaweanya (High Court)
Hon Justice Okereke Chinyere Ngozi (High Court)
Hon Justice Innocent Chidi Ibeawuchi (High Court)
Hon Justice Tennyson Nze (Customary Court of Appeal)
Hon Justice Ofoha Uchenna (Customary Court of Appeal)
Hon Justice Everyman Eleanya (Customary Court of Appeal)
Hon Justice Rosemond Ibe (Customary Court of Appeal)
Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu was sanctioned for making himself available to be sworn into office as acting Chief Judge of Imo State.
The President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Imo State, Hon Justice V. U. Okorie who chaired the Commission that nominated Hon. Justice Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge was however absolved, having dissented on record against the recommendation to appoint Hon. Justice T. N. Nzeukwu as acting Chief Judge.
Council however reiterated its earlier direction to the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma to swear in the most Senior Judge of the State as the acting Chief Judge.
Council took the decision after consideration of the reports of its Investigation Committee on allegations of age falsification against eighteen (18) Judges of the Imo state judiciary on the one hand and the queries issued to Hon. Justices V. U. Okorie and T. N. Nzeukwu.
The Council however dismissed, for want of merit, similar allegations against three Judges of the State High Court whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy.
Six High Court Judges of the State, whose dates of birth either had discrepancies but with acceptable explanations or with discrepancies arising from genuine correction of their dates of birth to their disadvantage, were also exonerated.
The Judges whose dates of birth were found to bear no discrepancy are:
Hon Justice I. O. Agugua (High Court)
Hon Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu (High Court)
Hon Justice L. C. Azuama (High Court)
The two Judges given a clean bill of health owing to provision of acceptable explanation for discrepancies in their dates of birth are:
Hon Justice Vincent I. Onyeka (High Court)
Hon Justice Vivian O. B. Ekezie (High Court)
Council directed that Hon. Justice Onyeka and Hon. Justice Ekezie must maintain the date of birth supplied by the Council of Legal Education in their official records.
Four other Judges absolved on account that they genuinely corrected their dates of birth to their disadvantage are:
Hon Justice P. U. Nnodum (High Court)
Justice Alma Ngozi Eluwa (High Court)
Justice Matthew Chinedu Ijezie (High Court)
Hon Justice Ononogbo Chidi Linus (High Court)
The Council has also reiterated its earlier direction to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, to appoint the most Senior Judicial Officer as the acting Chief Judge of the Imo State High Court.