Former CJN Tanko Muhammad is dead

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Tanko Muhammad is dead.

He was aged 71.

Born in Giade Local Government Area of Bauchi State in 1953, Mr Muhammad would have clocked 72 in 15 days’ time, on 31 December.

Sources within the judiciary confirmed Mr Tanko’s death to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday.

The Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS) similarly confirmed the ex-CJN’s death in a statement on Tuesday.

Although details of his death are still sketchy as of press time, he was said to have died of an ailment. The nature of the ailment has yet to be confirmed.

His death came nearly three and a half years after he abruptly resigned from office on health grounds on 27 June 2022.

His resignation in June 2022 was 18 months earlier than his scheduled retirement at age 70 on 31 December 2023.

Mr Muhammad, who was Nigeria’s 17th chief justice, took office as the helmsman of the Nigerian judiciary following the controversial suspension of his predecessor, Wlater Onnoghen in January 2019.

He went on to stay in office for three years and five months.

His abrupt exit from office in June 2022 came amid a raging crisis in the Supreme Court following allegations by his 14 colleagues on the Supreme Court bench that he was hampering the operations of the court by failing to fund judges’ welfare as well as fuel generators among others, among other essential services.

A leaked memo by the 14 Justices of the Supreme Court protesting Mr Muhammad’s handling of the operations of the court surfaced online last week.

Such an official letter leaking to the public was unprecedented in the history of the Nigerian Supreme Court.

Mr Muhammad left behind the issues enumerated in the letter by the Justices of the Supreme Court unresolved.

Tribute
NAMLAS described his death in a condolence message on Tuesday as a significant loss to the nation.

“His demise is a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary, the legal profession, the Muslim Ummah, and the nation at large,” the message read.

The association described him as “a towering figure of integrity, humility, and unwavering commitment to justice”, who “exemplified the highest ideals of the Bench—fairness, courage, and fidelity to the rule of law.”

“As Chief Justice of Nigeria, he discharged his responsibilities with wisdom and restraint, leaving behind a legacy of service that will continue to guide generations of legal practitioners.”

NAMLAS also said the late jurist played a significant mentorship role, particularly among young Muslim law students across the country.

“To NAMLAS, the late Chief Justice was more than a jurist; he was a fatherly pillar and a source of encouragement to Muslim law students across the country,” the association said, noting that his “support, moral guidance, and openness to the aspirations of young Muslim legal minds reflected his deep belief in mentorship, continuity, and the nurturing of future custodians of justice.”