# Nigeria's Supreme Court Faces Bench Shortage After Judicial Departures The National Judicial Council confirms fifteen vacancies following recent retirements and deaths of judges. - **Source:** [Premium Times Nigeria](https://www.premiumtimesng.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/cf866a98-8c4e-46f8-a8e2-4e337cf4ab03 ## Judicial Vacancies Announced The National Judicial Council recently confirmed fifteen vacancies across various Nigerian courts. During its 112th meeting on 3 November, the council acknowledged notices regarding six retirements and nine deaths. These departures affect multiple levels of the judiciary, including the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and various state-level high courts. ## Supreme Court Bench Shrinks The Supreme Court will soon be two justices short of its full twenty-one member complement. Justice Ibrahim Saulawa retired on 29 September, and Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji is scheduled to retire on 7 November. These exits challenge the court's recent success in maintaining a full bench after years of instability. ## History of Bench Capacity Nigeria's Supreme Court struggled for decades to reach its constitutional requirement of twenty-one justices. The bench hit an all-time low of ten serving justices in 2023. A major appointment drive in February 2024 finally brought the court to full capacity, a milestone celebrated for enhancing the efficiency of its judicial panels. ## Impact on Judicial Efficiency Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun has emphasized that a full bench is essential for managing the court's docket effectively. Numerical completeness allows for more robust panels and increased intellectual diversity in rulings. The current loss of justices threatens to slow down the court's ability to process cases with the necessary speed and vigor. ## Recent Judicial Retirements Beyond the Supreme Court, other high-level departures include Justice O. F. Omoleye of the Court of Appeal, who retired on 6 October. State-level judges, including those from Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Kaduna, have also submitted voluntary retirement notices. These transitions reflect a broader period of turnover within the nation's legal administrative structure. ## Mourning Deceased Judges The National Judicial Council reported the deaths of nine judges occurring between 1 May and 26 September. The deceased served in various jurisdictions, including the Federal High Court in Kano and state high courts in Kaduna, Lagos, Nasarawa, Zamfara, and Cross River. The council expressed formal condolences to the families and the legal community. ## Administrative Appointment Challenges Historically, the Supreme Court's inability to maintain a full bench was driven by a complex appointment process and inconsistent executive commitment. While the 2024 surge in appointments was a significant achievement, the current wave of departures highlights the ongoing difficulty in keeping the judiciary fully staffed against natural attrition and retirement cycles. ## Future Judicial Outlook The judiciary must now navigate the process of filling these newly created vacancies to maintain its operational capacity. As the Supreme Court falls below its mandated size, observers will monitor how quickly the National Judicial Council can facilitate new appointments to ensure the apex court continues to discharge its constitutional mandate effectively. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/922935-supreme-court-bench-shrinks-as-njc-receives-notices-of-deaths-retirements-from-various-courts.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._