More than half of the 62 nominees for the exalted position of Judge of the Federal High Court have missed out on the opportunity owing to their failure to pass the integrity test.
One of the nominees, Blessing Nkechi Ezeala, a Chief Superintendent of Police(CSP) serving with the Nigerian Police Force, Force headquarters, Abuja, and representing Imo State faile because of a one million naira bribe following a petition from one of her victims.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, determined to sustainably end the corruption and controversy surrounding the appointment of Federal judges has put strict regulations in place for whomever is desirous of becoming a judge. One of such regulations is the ‘Public Feedback’ system where the public is expected to comment on prospective nominees before appointment.
In all, 62 applicants passed the CBT examination conducted by the Federal High Court. Their names were forwarded to the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) who applied the Kekere-Ekun ‘public feedback policy’ on nominees by publishing the names in newspapers.
The names published on Sept 17, 2025, invited members of the public to submit feedback on nominees’ integrity, reputation and suitability for judicial appointment.
It was this policy that exposed Ezeala, as a member of the public, Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya petitioned the FJSC alleging that she once took a one million naira bribe from him. In a letter signed by his lawyer, Sanni Abbas of Douglas, Abbas and Gideon law firm, Abuja, Alhaji Yahaya explained how Ezeala took the bribe from him.
The petition stated: “Our client’s encounter with Blessing Nkechi Ezeala occurred sometime on the 16th day of January 2025 when our client got a call from his security guards at his house that some police men were around with the enforcement team from the court. Our client swiftly moved to the house to confirm this position and when he got there and saw things for himself, he directed his security guards to allow them carry out their work. While our client was at the house, some Police men from the Zone 7 Police Command came to the house and arrested our client without any warrant and only stated that there was a petition against our client and that they were there to arrest our client on the instruction of the officer in charge of Legal section, Zone 7. Police Command in person Mrs. Blessing Ezeani.
“Our client obeyed and went with the police officer to Zone 7. Command, Abuja. Upon getting to the station, our client gave his statement and Blessing Nkechi Ezeala refused to grant Bail to our client and until a proxy who is friend with Blessing Nkechi Ezeala took the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000:00) only, as bribe before our client was released to go home on bail.”
This act of the nominee among several other acts of misconduct was reported to the Police Service Commission (herein referred to as the Commission) for investigation and the Commission constituted a panel of enquiry headed by the chairman and other management staff of the Commission.
The Commission in its findings contained in its report dated February 3, 2025, discovered that One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) was collected by one Umar Tahir through account no 5600614399 (Fidelity Bank), part of which was later found to have been sent to the account of one Jane Ugonma Oleka.
Further investigation by the Commission revealed that the sum of Nine Hundred and Ninety- Five Thousand Naira (N995,000:00) was traced from the account of the said Jane Ugonma Oleka to the account of Blessing Ezeala Nkechi, who maintains an account with the United Bank of Africa with account number 2055792545. The transaction happened on the 15th day of January, 2025.
The character of Blessing Nkechi Ezeala (the Nominee) clearly is one that can best be described as lacking in integrity, completely failing in terms of measurement of reputation and above all, highly unsuitable for appointment as a judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
The judiciary has had its own backlash in the sight of the public but we are grateful for the leadership of the judiciary for taking bold steps in sanitizing the judicial system.”
Out of the 62 names published, only 28 names were shortlisted. 34 nominees failed the integrity test.
According to the Deputy Director of Information of the National Judicial Council(NJC), Mrs Kemi Babalola Ogedengbe, the 28 shortlisted nominees will face further scrutiny at the meeting of the Council on January 13 and 14, 2026.
