Following the announced passing of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, the former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the Nigerian judiciary and legal society are in deep grief.
A close source told Sahara Reporters on Tuesday morning that the former CJN passed away while undergoing treatment overseas.
“Former CJN Tanko Muhammad has passed away. According to the source, he died this morning in a hospital in Saudi Arabia.
In a formal sympathy statement dated December 16, 2025, the National Headquarters of the Nigerian Association of Muslim Law Students (NAMLAS) described his loss as a severe shock.
“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.”
NAMLAS praised the retired jurist, noting that throughout his judicial career, he: “Exemplified the highest ideals of the Bench—fairness, courage, and fidelity to the rule of law.”
The association particularly noted his role as a mentor: “To NAMLAS, the late Chief Justice was more than a jurist; he was a fatherly pillar and a source of encouragement to Muslim law students across the country.”
Justice Muhammad served for decades in the Nigerian judiciary, eventually rising to the highest judicial office in the country. He had resigned as CJN in June 2022, citing ill health.
