The National Judicial Council (NJC) has disclosed that 34 applicants, including a serving Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), failed the integrity screening conducted as part of the process for appointing new judges in the federal judiciary.
The council made the disclosure in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, stating that although 62 candidates initially passed the Computer-Based Test (CBT) organised by the Federal High Court, only 28 nominees eventually scaled through the integrity assessment conducted by the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).
According to the NJC, the 62 candidates who passed the CBT were forwarded to the FJSC for further consideration in line with a new integrity policy introduced by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
Under the policy, the names of shortlisted candidates were published to allow members of the public to submit petitions, comments or observations on the integrity, reputation and suitability of the nominees for judicial office.
The council explained that the list of the 62 candidates was made public on September 17, 2025, to encourage transparency and broaden public participation in the judicial appointment process.
During the exercise, petitions were received against some of the nominees. One of the petitions, according to sources, involved a serving CSP who was alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices while in service.
The petition, reportedly submitted by a legal practitioner on behalf of a client, accused the police officer of demanding bribes and lacking the moral standing required for appointment to the Bench.
It was alleged that the officer demanded N1 million through an intermediary to grant bail during a court enforcement exercise in Abuja in January 2025, and that the matter was investigated by the Police Service Commission, with the funds allegedly traced to the officer’s bank account.
Petitioners commended the judiciary for introducing the integrity screening, describing it as a critical step towards restoring public confidence in the justice system.
Following the review of public feedback and petitions, the FJSC forwarded only 28 names to the NJC, while 34 applicants were dropped for failing the integrity test.
The Deputy Director of Information of the NJC, Mrs Kemi Ogedengbe, confirmed that the council would meet on January 13 and 14 to deliberate on issues arising from the selection process.
She said the 28 shortlisted candidates would appear before the NJC interview panel ahead of the council’s meeting.
Observers say the development signals a tougher stance by the judiciary on ethics and accountability, particularly at a time when public trust in public institutions is under strain.
