Chief Justice of Nigeria
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 Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen who was appointed by the President on acting capacity after the retirement of Mahmud Mohammed who attained the prescribed retirement age. The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the highest court in Nigeria and its decision is 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 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 |
| 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 | 2016 (Acting) |
List of previous Chief Justices
- Lagos (1863 – 1929)
- Sir William Nicholl (1902 – 1908)
- Thomas Crossley Rayner (1895 – 1902))
- Sir John Salman Smith (1886 – 1895)
- James Marshall (1874 – 1886)
- George French (1867 – 1874)
- John Carr (1866 – ) (West African Settlements Supreme Court)
- Benjamin Way (? – 1866)
- Northern Nigeria
- Sir Edwin Speed (1908 – 1913)
- Sir M R Mendez (1905 – 1908)
- Henry Cowper Gollan (1901 – 1905)
- Alastair Davidson (1900 – 1901)
- Southern Nigeria
- Willoughby Osborne (1906 – 1913)
- Henry Green Kelly (1900 – 1902)
References
- ↑ "Constitution". The National Judicial Council. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ↑ "ALOMA MUKHTAR: Making of Nigeria's Female CJN". P.M. News. Independent Communications Network Limited. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ↑ "Jonathan swears in Nigeria's first female chief justice". The Punch. Ajibola Ogunsola. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2012.