Njideka Iheme, the daughter of former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili and Justice Mary Odili, has just been sworn in as a Judge of the Federal High Court.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, sworn in Mrs Iheme and and 20 others as Judges of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, on Tuesday 23rd November 2021.
Justice Njideka is married Uzoma Nwosu Iheme, the son of Court of Appeals Judge, Justice Chioma Nwosu Iheme.
During the ceremony, Justice Muhammad called on the new judges to refrain from anything that would smear their name or bring them into disrepute.
He said, “The Bench is neither for the prosaic, the greedy nor those with questionable character who can easily fall for a plate of porridge offered by desperate litigants.”
The CJN charged them to rise above temptations and trials that might obstruct or even halt their rise to the pinnacle of their career.
According to him, the newly sworn-in judges have entered a lifetime covenant with God and Nigeria.
“Appointment to the Bench is not an appointment to wealth, vainglory, dishonest disposition or ostentatious lifestyle through corrupt acquaintances,” he said, warning that the searchlight of the National Judicial Council had been beamed on all judicial officers in the country.
“Our radar is sophisticated enough to detect every form of corruption and wrongdoings. The remoteness of your location of adjudication can never blur our sight on you,” said Muhammad.
Njideka’s mum, Mary Ukaego Odili (née Nzenwa; CFR is a Nigerian judge and wife of Peter Odili, who served as Governor of Rivers State from 1999 to 2007. Peter Odili, a former governor of Rivers State, who has been having a running battle with the anti-graft agency, EFCC but has long secured a “perpetual injunction” against arrest by the anti-corruption police in a court ruling as at 2008. The Earlier in the year 2021, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers state, is on the watch list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
She was appointed an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) by President Goodluck Jonathan and was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice Katsina-Alu on 23 June 2011.
Prior to becoming SCN justice, she held numerous important offices, including Judge, High Court of Rivers State (1992–2004), Justice, Court of Appeal, Abuja Division (2004–2010), and Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Kaduna Division (2010–2011). She served as the First Lady of Rivers State during her husband’s tenure as governor.
Only recently, the Nigerian police arrested a group of 14 persons, including a journalist, who allegedly posed as security personnel and raided the home of Supreme Court justice Mary Odili.
Parading the suspects at the force headquarters annex on Thursday, the police spokesperson, Frank Mba, described the suspects as impostors who were unknown to any of the nation’s security forces.
