Abuja, Nigeria – June 6, 2025 | FrontNaija News
Nigeria has lost one of its foremost legal minds, as former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, passed away in the early hours of Friday, June 6, 2025. He was 88 years old.
The death of the revered jurist was confirmed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, who described the loss as a monumental blow to the Nigerian legal community and the nation at large.
> “Justice Uwais was not just a jurist, he was an institution of integrity, discipline, and legal excellence,” Dr. Ajulo said in a statement.
Justice Mohammed Uwais served as the Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1995 until his retirement in 2006. He is widely remembered for his firm stance on judicial independence and his significant contributions to electoral reform in Nigeria. Following his retirement, he chaired the Presidential Electoral Reform Committee under the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Throughout his career, Justice Uwais was known for his meticulous legal reasoning, incorruptibility, and advocacy for the rule of law. His legacy includes landmark judgments and influential policy work that helped shape Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
Details regarding his burial arrangements are yet to be officially released by the family.
Prominent Nigerians from across the political, legal, and religious spectrums have begun pouring in tributes, honoring the late jurist’s enduring impact on the nation.
Justice Uwais is survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren.
Source: News Central Africa – “BREAKING: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Mohammed Uwais Dies at 88.
