Shagbaor Ikyegh, judge shortlisted for supreme court bench, dies at 65

Shagbaor Ikyegh, a judge of the court of appeal, is dead.

Ikyegh died on December 6 at the age of 65.

In a statement on Thursday, his family said the late justice died in Makurdi, the capital of Benue, but did not state the cause of his death.

The family added that burial arrangements would be announced soon.

“The family with a heavy heart but total submission to the will of God wish to notify the general public of the sudden death of their son, brother, husband and father LATE HON. JUSTICE JOSEPH SHAGBAOR IKYEGH (JCA) which sad event occurred on 6th day of December 2023 in Makurdi, the Benue state capital,” the statement reads.

Before his death, Ikyegh served as the presiding justice in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

He was number 10 on the court of appeal seniority list and was due for retirement in 2028.

He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1980 after earning his law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University (formerly known as the University of Ife).

He began his career at the Benue state high court in 1991, before being elevated to the court of appeal in July 2010.

Ikyegh was one of the twenty-two judges of the appeal court who were shortlisted to be elevated to the supreme court.

But on Wednesday, the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended 11 justices for elevation into the supreme court but Ikyegh’s name was not listed.

On November 24,  Ikyegh delivered the majority decision that affirmed the victory of Dapo Abiodun as governor of Ogun in the March 18 election.