Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad (retd.), passed on yesterday at the age of 71. His death was confirmed in an official condolence statement issued by the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS), National Headquarters, Abuja, which described his passing as a monumental loss to the country, the judiciary, and the legal profession.

In a separate condolence message, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, expressed deep sorrow over the death of the former CJN, commiserating with his family and the people of Bauchi State.

A statement issued by the NJC noted that although death is a painful reality, the judiciary is consoled by the enduring legacy of “hard work, honesty and dedication to duty” left behind by the late jurist.

Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, GCON, who would have turned 72 on December 31, 2025, was described as a devout Muslim, a respected jurist, and a courageous judge who exemplified the highest ideals of the Bench.

He served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria from 2006 to 2022 and as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2019 until his resignation in June 2022 due to ill health.

He began his legal career in 1982, after being called to the Bar in 1981, the same year he graduated from the Nigerian Law School. In 1989, he was appointed Chief Magistrate of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, a position he held until 1991, when he became Judge of the Bauchi State Sharia Court of Appeal. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal Bench in 1993 before his eventual appointment to the Supreme Court.