A former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has passed away.
Reports indicate that the retired head of Nigeria’s judiciary died in the early hours of Tuesday, December 16, 2025, while receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Saudi Arabia.
Confirming the development, the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS), National Headquarters, described his death as a devastating loss. In a condolence statement dated December 16, 2025, the association expressed deep sorrow over his passing.
“Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return,” the statement read. “His demise is a monumental loss to the Nigerian judiciary, the legal profession, the Muslim Ummah, and the nation at large.”
Justice Muhammad served Nigeria’s judiciary for decades, rising through the ranks to become Chief Justice of Nigeria. He resigned from office in June 2022, citing health challenges, after a long and distinguished career in judicial service.
