The Nigerian judiciary has suffered a huge loss as two judges died hours apart on Sunday in Abuja. Justice Centus Chima Nweze of the Supreme Court and Justice Peter Mallong of the Kaduna Division passed away after battling with undisclosed illnesses.
Justice Nweze, who was 69 years old, was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2014. He was known for his dissenting opinions in some landmark cases, such as the 2019 presidential election petition and the Bayelsa governorship election¹. He was also a professor of law and a former justice of the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Mallong, who was 64 years old, was elevated to the Federal High Court in 2013. He presided over several notable cases, such as the trial of former Kaduna governor Ramalan Yero and the suit challenging the appointment of the Chief Judge of Kogi State³. He was also a former chief registrar of the Kaduna State High Court.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, has expressed his condolences to the families and colleagues of the deceased judges. He described them as “erudite jurists who contributed immensely to the development of the nation’s jurisprudence”. He also prayed for the repose of their souls and for God to grant them eternal rest.
