CJN: How Mohammed emerged, as Mukhtar bows out

There were initially doubts that President Goodluck Jonathan may not accede to the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint Justice Mohammed, the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as the new CJN since he is not bound by the recommendations.But in a letter to the Senate President, David Mark, the president […]

There were initially doubts that President Goodluck Jonathan may not accede to the recommendations of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to appoint Justice Mohammed, the most senior judge of the Supreme Court, as the new CJN since he is not bound by the recommendations.
But in a letter to the Senate President, David Mark, the president noted that Mohammed’s appointment was in compliance with Section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
Justice Mukhtar will on Thursday November 20 hand over to Mohammed after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Born on November 10th, 1946 in Jalingo, Taraba State, Justice Mohammed had his elementary education at Malam Kasimu Koranic School, Jalingo (1950-1956), Junior Primary School, Jalingo (1953-1956) and Senior Primary School, Jalingo (1957-1959).
He was at the Secondary Technical School/Government College, Kaduna; Government College/Rumfa College, Kano; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Nigerian Law School; Commonwealth Institute of Legislative Drafting; National Institute of Public Management Washington D.C.; Institute of Judicial Administration at University of New York; and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London.
The judge worked as a legal practitioner in the ministries of justice of defunct Northeastern state, as well as the judiciaries of Gongola and Taraba states where he held various posts.
He was Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Gongola State from 1981-1983. He acted as Chief Judge of Gongola State between 1988 and 1989 and became the Chief Judge of Taraba State in 1991. He was a Justice of the Court of Appeal between 2002 and 2005. On June 8, 2005, he was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court.
His lordship is also well exposed internationally. He attended conferences at the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Netherlands, Egypt, India, Argentina and South Africa among others.
When he is not writing some of his erudite judgments, he enjoys among other hobbies reading swimming, farming, animal rearing and photography.