At least 18 judges from the Imo State judiciary have been summoned by the National Judicial Council (NJC) following serious allegations of age falsification and professional misconduct. The summons came after a petition filed by a civil society group, the Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP), which accused the judges of manipulating their birth records to gain unfair judicial appointments.
According to a source within the judiciary, this scandal also influenced Governor Hope Uzodimma’s recent decision to bypass the top three candidates in the race for Chief Judge and instead appoint the fourth-ranking judge. The governor reportedly cited discrepancies between the official Call-to-Bar records and the Imo judicial register as justification for his move, which has since sparked tension between the state government and the NJC.
Leading the NJC investigation is a Justice of the Court of Appeal, with hearings expected to continue imminently. Among those accused are Justices I.O. Agugua, C.A. Ononeze-Madu, L.C. Azuama, B.C. Iheka, and M.E. Nwagbaoso, all of whom allegedly have conflicting dates of birth on official documents. Justice Agugua, in particular, also faces additional accusations of misconduct.
The controversy has reignited debates about integrity within the judiciary, with human rights lawyer Christopher Chidera calling for broader sanctions. He criticized the abuse of ex parte orders, often issued without notifying affected parties, claiming they are now tools for oppression and political manipulation.
CSEP emphasized the seriousness of the case by recalling similar past rulings by the NJC. These include the retirement of judges in Abia, Osun, and Delta States over similar age-related fraud, often with retroactive penalties and salary repayments.
CSEP also warned the Imo Judicial Service Commission of looming mass protests if no action is taken. They argue that the continued silence from the Commission only deepens public mistrust in the system.
