CJN Leads NJC to Recommend FHC Chief Registrar and 13 Others for Massive Federal High Court Promotion

In a major move to clear the backlog of cases in Nigeria’s busy legal system, the National Judicial Council (NJC) has cleared 14 top-tier candidates to take their seats on the Federal High Court bench.

The news broke this Thursday after the Council, chaired by Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, officially sent the list of names to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his final stamp of approval. Leading the group is Suleiman Amida Hassan, a name well-known in legal circles as the current Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, whose “promotion” to the bench is seen as a reward for years of administrative service.

While the NJC had actually picked these names during their high-level meeting in mid-January, they didn’t rush to the President. Instead, they waited for the secret police and security agencies to finish deep background checks on every single person. In a statement by Kemi Babalola-Ogedengbe, the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, the council made it clear: they weren’t sending any names forward until they were 100% sure there were “no adverse comments” regarding their character.

The lucky 14 include a mix of seasoned legal minds like Muhammad Barau Saidu, Igboko Chinelo Conchita, Galumje Edingah, and Usoro Kuyik Uduak. This recruitment is part of a larger strategy to strengthen the judiciary, which also saw Justice Joseph Oyewole recommended for the Supreme Court.

This wave of appointments comes at a critical time when the courts are facing a mountain of political and commercial cases. By bringing in “fresh blood” with clean records, the NJC is hoping to speed up the wheels of justice and restore public confidence in the legal system.

Once the President gives the green light, these 14 lawyers will trade their suits for robes and begin their new roles as the newest arbiters of justice in Nigeria.