Judges’ selection: Senior police officer, 33 others fail NJC integrity screening

The National Judicial Council has revealed that 34 nominees — including a Chief Superintendent of Police — did not scale through the integrity assessment conducted as part of the process for appointing new judges.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the Council explained that although 62 applicants passed the Computer-Based Test organised by the Federal High Court in Abuja, only 28 eventually qualified after undergoing an additional integrity review.

The NJC said the shortlisted applicants’ names were sent to the Federal Judicial Service Commission for further vetting, in line with the new integrity policy introduced by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

Under the new system, the FJSC published the names of nominees on September 17, 2025, inviting members of the public to submit comments or petitions regarding their reputation and suitability for judicial appointment.

One of the petitions cited reportedly accused a serving CSP of repeatedly demanding bribes and lacking the moral standing required for the bench. The petition — written by a lawyer on behalf of a client — claimed the officer was notorious for soliciting illicit payments.

It alleged that on January 16, 2025, the client was arrested by personnel from the Zone 7 Police Command in Abuja and was not granted bail until ₦1 million was paid through an associate of the officer. The petition further claimed the Police Service Commission set up an investigative panel and traced the funds to the CSP.

The petitioners urged the NJC to reject the officer’s nomination, arguing that appointing her would undermine public trust in the judiciary.

Following the review of public submissions, the FJSC forwarded only 28 names to the NJC, meaning 34 nominees failed the integrity screening.

According to the Council, the shortlisted candidates will be interviewed ahead of the NJC meeting scheduled for January 13 and 14, where issues arising from the selection process will be discussed.

Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, reaffirmed that the Council remains committed to transparency and high ethical standards under the leadership of Justice Kekere-Ekun.