Federal High Court judge, Evoh Chukwu, dies at 51

Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has died.

A statement issued by the court’s Chief Registrar, Emmanuel Gako, in Abuja on Thursday, said Chukwu died after a brief illness.

According to the statement, the court declared Thursday a work free day in honour of the departed judge.

The statement also directed all court registrars to adjourn cases that were initially slated for hearing to ensure total compliance.

Until his death, Justice Chukwu presided over the Senate forgery suit that sought to nullify the leadership of the 8th Senate.

The deceased was also handling the trial of former Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, over allegations of abuse of office and economic crimes by levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The case was recently re-assigned to the deceased judge by the Chief Judge of the court, Justice Ibrahim Auta.

This followed Justice Adeniyi Ademola’s declining to give judgment in the matter over an allegation of bias raised by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Justice Chukwu was born on Aug. 24, 1964 in Afikpo North LGA of Ebonyi State and was appointed a judge of the court on Jan. 23, 2008.

Before then, he did his one year National Youth Service at Chief Omoniyepe Chambers, in Akure, Ondo State between September 18, 1988 and September 17, 1989.

He attended the Imo State University where he studied Law between (1983 and 1987) and the Nigerian Law School between 1987 -1988.