Judges’ Appointment: NJC Shortlists 28 as 34 Fail Integrity Screening

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has revealed that only 28 out of 62 applicants shortlisted for judicial appointments passed its integrity screening, while 34 candidates failed the test.

In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, the council explained that although 62 applicants passed the Computer-Based Test conducted by the Federal High Court, only 28 emerged successful after the integrity review carried out by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

The screening followed a new policy introduced by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, which allows public feedback on the integrity and suitability of shortlisted judicial nominees. The names of the candidates were published on September 17, 2025, to enable petitions and comments from the public.

According to the NJC, one of the petitions alleged that a serving Chief Superintendent of Police among the applicants had demanded a bribe of N1 million through a proxy to grant bail during a court enforcement exercise in January 2025. The petition claimed that the Police Service Commission investigated the matter and traced the funds to the officer’s account.

After reviewing public submissions, the FJSC forwarded only 28 names to the NJC, with 34 applicants failing the integrity assessment.

The NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe, confirmed that the council would meet on January 13 and 14 to consider issues arising from the process. She added that the shortlisted candidates would still undergo interviews, stressing that transparency and judicial integrity remain key priorities under the current leadership of the judiciary.

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