President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday approved the nomination of Justice Mahmud Mohammed as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
The National Judicial Council (NJC) had forwarded Justice Mohammed’s name to the president for ratification following his earlier nomination by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
If confirmed by the Senate, Justice Mohammed will take over from Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar who will proceed on retirement on November 20 after attaining the age of 70 years. Justice Mohammed, until his appointment, was next in seniority to Justice Aloma Mukhtar.
Justice Mohammed, who hails from Jalingo in Taraba State, was born on November 10 1946 and studied for his Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He graduated in 1970, after which he attended the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was subsequently called to bar in 1971.
He began his career in the public service with the Ministry of Justice of the defunct North-eastern and Gongola States, as well as serving on the bench in Gongola. In 1991, he was appointed the Chief Judge of Taraba State.
Prior to being appointed a justice of the Supreme Court in 2005, he was a justice of the Court of Appeal and then its presiding justice.
