18 Imo State Judges Face Compulsory Retirement Over Age Falsification

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has summoned 18 judges from the Imo State judiciary to answer allegations of age falsification and misconduct. According to reports, these judges allegedly manipulated their ages to extend their tenure or secure appointments.

The Civil Society Engagement Platform (CSEP) exposed this scandal, petitioning the NJC and providing evidence of the judges’ inconsistent birth dates. Some of the affected judges include:
– *Hon. Justice I. O. Agugua*: With conflicting birth dates of May 10, 1959, and May 10, 1960
– *Hon. Justice C. A. Ononeze-Madu*: Listed birth dates as July 7, 1963, and July 7, 1965
– *Hon. Justice L. C. Azuama*: Showing birth dates of November 11, 1957, and November 11, 1960

If found guilty, these judges may face compulsory retirement, as seen in past cases where the NJC took similar actions. In 2020, a judge in Imo State was sacked for falsifying his age, while judges in Niger, Yobe, and Osun states faced similar consequences

The NJC has confirmed the investigation and is expected to take appropriate action based on its findings