Number of supreme court justices drops to 15 as Ejembi Eko retires

Ejembi Eko, a justice of the supreme court, has retired.

His retirement comes days after Mary Peter-Odili, former supreme court judge, bowed out of service.

Eko is leaving the apex court bench having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

His retirement further depletes the number of supreme court justices to 15 as against the maximum requirement of 21.

However, the CJN had, in a letter addressed to judicial officers across the country in January 2022, called for the nomination of judges for appointment to the supreme court.

At the valedictory session held at the supreme court on Monday, Ibrahim Muhammad, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), described the outgoing judge as “judicial officer, who has excelled in his career and in the development of the nation and humanity”.

“His proficiency in the dispensation of justice, which is firmly rooted in his mastery of law, stands him out as a man of dignity and distinction. In everything he does, he endeavours to leave a mark that hoists the banner of integrity and honesty,” the CJN said.

Eko was born on May 23, 1952, and attended Methodist Primary School, Ugboju-lcho, from 1958 to 1962 and later enrolled in Native Authority Primary School, Ugbokpo, Apa LGA, Benue state, where he had his First School Leaving Certificate in 1965.

He thereafter attended Wesley High School, Otukpo, from 1966 to 1970 where he had his West African School Certificate. He also got his Higher School Certificate from Government College, Keffi, in 1972.

In 1973, he gained admission to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study law and graduated in 1976, before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School where he graduated and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1977.

In April 1987, Eko was appointed as the first director of civil litigation, Benue state ministry of justice. Within six months, he was elevated to the office of solicitor-general and permanent secretary in the same ministry on October 1, 1987.

He became a judge of the Benue state high court on February 9, 1989, and was sworn into the court of appeal on February 15, 2008.

After eight years at the court of appeal, he was elevated to the supreme court bench on November 7, 2016.