The National Judicial Council (NJC) has constituted a five-man panel to investigate the allegations against the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad.

NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja disclosed that the panel is to be headed by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice S.A Akintan, a member of the council.

Oye indicated that the council took the decision after accepting “the result of the preliminary assessment of the petitions” written against the new CJN.

He added that the council considered the “petitions to be worthy of further investigation and should not be terminated under Rule 17 of the Judicial Discipline Regulations of the Council”.

The statement stated; “Consequently, the council constituted a five-member NJC Investigation Committee pursuant to Rule 20(1) of the Judicial Discipline Regulations under the chairmanship of Hon. Mr. Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,”

NJC in the statement announced that a new petition has been filed against Justice Muhammad by the Action Peoples Party.

Following this, Oye indicated that the council gave the acting CJN “abridged seven days” for his “comments”