Retiring Supreme Court Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji has disclosed that a travel restriction imposed by the United States on seven members of Nigeria’s apex court panel remains in force, linking the measure to what she described as the misinterpretation of a judgment delivered by the justices.
Abba Aji made the revelation on Friday during a valedictory session held in her honour at the Supreme Court in Abuja, ahead of her retirement upon attaining the mandatory age of 70.
Reflecting on her years on the Bench, the jurist said her judicial career had been marked by difficult experiences that tested her commitment to justice. She maintained that judicial officers must remain firm in the discharge of their duties, regardless of the consequences.
She said one of the judgments delivered by a panel she served on was widely misinterpreted, leading to a United States travel ban against all seven members. According to her, the restriction has not been lifted.
The retiring justice did not identify the specific judgment or explain the precise grounds on which the US authorities imposed the restriction. However, the disclosure has revived public attention around the controversial Supreme Court ruling that altered the outcome of the 2019 Imo State governorship election.
On January 14, 2020, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court removed Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party as governor and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress the winner of the election.
The panel held that results from 388 polling units had been wrongly excluded from the final collation. The inclusion of those votes, the court ruled, gave Uzodimma the highest number of lawful votes.
The decision generated widespread controversy, as Uzodimma had been placed fourth in the results initially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Ihedioha subsequently asked the Supreme Court to review its decision, but the application was dismissed on March 3, 2020. The judgment declaring Uzodimma governor remained in force.
Justice Abba Aji was among the seven justices who sat on the panel. The connection between the ruling and the reported US restriction, however, was not expressly confirmed in her remarks.
The retiring jurist described the reported travel ban as one of the personal inconveniences judicial officers might face while carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.
“Such inconveniences were a price to pay to preserve the chastity of justice,” she said.
Recounts EFCC Investigation
Abba Aji also recalled a difficult episode in 2016, when she was attending a programme in Washington, DC, and received a call informing her that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission wanted her to respond to a petition filed against her in Lagos.
She said the petition led to repeated visits to the EFCC office, where she answered questions concerning corruption allegations she maintained she knew nothing about.
The justice said she was eventually cleared after investigations, but the experience had been distressing.
According to her, damaging reports and public accusations circulated while she was unable to defend herself openly because of the conservative traditions of the judiciary.
She described the period as chaotic and emotionally challenging, noting that the eventual outcome did not erase the reputational difficulties she had faced.
Urges Judges to Uphold Integrity
At the valedictory session, Abba Aji urged younger judicial officers to make integrity and justice the guiding principles of their careers.
She advised serving judges to discharge their responsibilities with humility and courage, warning against allowing external pressure or personal interests to influence judicial decisions.
The retiring justice stressed that the law should be regarded not merely as a profession but as a public trust requiring impartiality, discipline and moral courage.
Chief Justice of Nigeria Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who presided over the session, commended Abba Aji for her years of service and described her career as significant to the judiciary and to women in the legal profession.
The CJN praised her commitment to judicial responsibilities and said she was leaving the Bench with an unblemished record.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also praised the retiring justice for her contributions to Nigerian jurisprudence, particularly in matters involving anti-corruption institutions.
He cited her role in a Supreme Court judgment affirming the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Abba Aji’s retirement takes effect on November 7, 2026, upon her attainment of the constitutionally prescribed retirement age of 70.
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