JUST IN: Supreme Court Justice Oseji Is Dead

Samuel Chukwudumebi Oseji, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is dead.

Gatekeepers News reports that Oseji passed on Monday night, September 27.

The justice, who has spent less than one year on the apex court bench, died in Abuja after a protracted illness at age 67.

Chief Chike Onyemenam SAN, factional Chairman of the Mid-West Bar Forum, broke the news to lawyers who were at the Supreme Court on Tuesday for their cases.

He said: “Good morning my beloved Members of the Mid-West Bar Forum. My heart is completely broken as the Supreme Court Justices called a few of us into Chambers now to inform us of the passing on of our dearly beloved Hon. Justice S.C. Oseji, J.S.C. Please pray for his peaceful repose and for his wife and Family.”

His death brings the number of Justices of the Supreme Court to 17.

Born on June 2, 1954, Justice Oseji hailed from the Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta state in the Southern part of Nigeria.

He attended Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba, Delta State. He graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1984 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985.

He worked as a magistrate and rose through the ranks to become Chief Magistrate Grade I. He was appointed Deputy Chief Registrar in 1996. He was appointed Chief Registrar of the Delta State High Court in 1997.

In 1998, he was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice, Delta State. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2010.