The National Judicial Council (NJC) has disclosed that 34 nominees, including a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), failed the judges’ appointment integrity test conducted by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, the NJC said that while 62 applicants passed the Computer-Based Test (CBT) conducted by the Federal High Court, only 28 nominees were successful after the integrity screening.
According to the Council, the CBT-passed candidates were forwarded to the FJSC for further assessment in line with the public-feedback-based integrity policy introduced by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun. The policy allows members of the public to submit petitions or comments on the integrity, reputation, and suitability of shortlisted nominees.
The NJC noted that the FJSC published the names of the 62 nominees on September 17, 2025, inviting public feedback. One petition, sighted by PUNCH Online, accused a serving CSP of soliciting bribes and lacking the integrity required for judicial appointment.
The petitioners alleged that the CSP, while serving as Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Section at Zone 7 Police Command, Abuja, refused to grant bail to a client without payment of N1 million through a proxy account. They claimed the money was traced to the CSP’s account during an investigation by the Police Service Commission, concluding that the nominee’s conduct demonstrated a lack of integrity and rendered her unsuitable for judicial office.
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“The judiciary deserves commendation for this integrity screening process, which is necessary to restore public confidence in the justice system,” the petitioners said, urging the NJC to reject the CSP’s nomination.
At the end of the public feedback process, the NJC confirmed that only 28 nominees were forwarded to the Council for further consideration, while 34 failed the integrity test.
The NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, said the Council is scheduled to meet on January 13 and 14 to deliberate on issues arising from the selection process. The 28 shortlisted nominees will face the Council’s interview panel ahead of the meeting.
Ogedengbe stressed that transparency and judicial integrity remain top priorities under Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun’s administration.