Justice Aboki Retires As Supreme Court Justices Reduced to 13

The number of Supreme Court justices has dropped to 13 following the retirement of Justice Abdu Aboki.

The Court’s spokesman, Dr. Festus Akande, said in a statement that Justice Aboki left on August 5 on attaining the statutory retirement age of 70.

Akande said a valedictory court session in the jurist’s honour will hold on September 15 at 10 am.

With the exit of Justice Aboki, the court returns to its pre-2020 state when it had just 12 justices as against the 21 required by the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Aboki was one of the eight inaugurated in 2020, during which former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammad hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for acceding to the court’s demand.

Justice Muhammad said: “The Bench of the Supreme Court is one short of its full complement of 21 justices.

“Before now, there were only 12 justices on the Bench of the Supreme Court, but with the new eight justices, we now have 20.”

In less than two years, however, the court has returned to its former state.

On March 7, 2021, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta died.

Justice Olabide Rhodes-Vivour retired later that month, while Justice Samuel Oseji died in September 2021.

So far this year, the court has witnessed the exit of three justices.

Justice Mary Peter-Odili and Justice Ejembi Eko retired on May 13 and May 23. Chief Justice Muhammad resigned on June 27.

The Senate is yet to confirm Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as Chief Justice almost three months after.

President Buhari had in July written the Senate to confirm him, but with the lawmakers currently on vacation, the confirmation may have to wait.

Akande’s statement reads in part: “Justice Aboki clocked 70 years, being the statutory retirement age for justices of Supreme Court on 5th August 2022, but the valedictory court session could not hold then due to the annual vacation of the court.

“Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki was sworn in as Justice of the Supreme Court alongside seven other distinguished jurists on the 6th day of November 2020; thus spending a rather short period of one year and eight months on the apex court’s bench.

“His Lordship was born on 5th August 1952 in the commercial city of Kano.

“He had his primary and secondary education in Kano State before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he studied Law.

“Upon his graduation in 1976, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School in Victoria Island, Lagos; and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1977.

“Justice Aboki was appointed a High Court Judge in Kano State Judiciary in 1987.

“He was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2006; from where he came to Supreme Court in 2020.

“His Lordship had served in different capacities in many Committees at different levels of courts in the course of his career.

“He had equally attended several conferences and workshops where he presented scholarly papers within and outside the country.”

With three more justices billed to retire within the next two years, the number could further reduce to 10 unless more appointments are made.

The remaining 13 justices are Chief Justice Ariwoola (to retire on August 22, 2024), Musa Dattijo Muhammad (to retire on October 27, 2023), Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (to retire on May 7, 2028), John Inyang Okoro (to retire on July 11, 2029), Chima Centus Nweze (to retire on September 25, 2028) and Amina Adamu Augie (to retire on September 3, 2023).

The rest are Uwani Abba Aji (to retire on November 7, 2026), Lawal Garba (to retire on November 11, 2028), Helen Ogunwumiju (to retire on March 23, 2027), Ibrahim Mohammed Saulawa (to retire on September 29, 2026), Adamu Jauro (to retire June 26, 2029), Tijjani Abubakar (to retire on April 15, 2030) and Emmanuel Akomaye Agim (to retire April 26, 2030).