Imo Chief Judge: NJC Insists Acting CJ Ijeoma Agugua Must Be Shortlisted

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the state’s acting Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua, on the shortlist of candidates for appointment as substantive Chief Judge.

The council rejected her exclusion from the list of nominees submitted by the commission, insisting that the most senior judge of the state High Court should be considered for the position.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, NJC Deputy Director (Information), Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, said the directive was given at the council’s 112th meeting held on November 3.

Naija News reports that the meeting was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

According to the statement, the council also recommended 28 candidates for various judicial appointments and considered several disciplinary matters.

It said, “Council also directed the Imo State Judicial Service Commission to include the name of the most senior Judge of the State High Court, the Acting Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Ijeoma Agugua, in the list of candidates for appointment as substantive Chief Judge of the State.”

The Imo State Judicial Service Commission is statutorily responsible for initiating the process of appointing judicial officers in the state.

However, the attempt to fill the Imo Chief Judge position has been a major bone of contention between the NJC and Imo State authorities since former Chief Judge T. E. Chukwuemeka Chikeka was compulsorily retired for age falsification in November 2024.

The NJC’s latest decision on the matter signalled the state government’s persistent disapproval of Ms Agugua for the position.

Despite Ms Agugua being the most senior High Court judge, the state authorities passed over her to pick a lower-ranking judge to act as the chief judge.

The controversial decision, which paralysed the state High Court for months, was reversed in April 2025, when the NJC roundly rejected the appointment of Theophilus Nzeukwu as acting chief judge.

In June, about two months after rejecting Nzeukwu’s appointment and issuing him a query, the NJC sent him on compulsory retirement for accepting to be sworn in for the acting chief judge role.

This prompted the Imo State government, under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma, to revert to Agugua as the Chief Justice, but in an acting capacity.

Meanwhile, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has suspended three judicial officers for one year without pay.

The council also issued warnings to several others over alleged misconduct and violations of judicial procedures.

The affected officers were sanctioned for various offences, including unlawful detention of litigants, abuse of judicial authority, failure to follow due process and improper handling of court cases.

The decisions were reached during the NJC’s 112th meeting held on November 3, 2026, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The three judicial officers suspended are Justice Hannatu Mohammed Kabir of the Nasarawa State High Court, Grand Kadi Mohammed Sani Salihu of the Jigawa State Sharia Court of Appeal and Justice Sobere Biambo of the Rivers State High Court.