The Rivers Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has stated that the retirement of Chief Magistrate Ejike King George is unrelated to the ongoing political crisis in the state.
While George announced his retirement on Monday, citing the current political turmoil, the JSC, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Acting Secretary Blessings Vic-Jumbo, refuted claims that George’s retirement was voluntary and politically motivated.
The JSC clarified that George was compulsorily retired by the Commission via a letter dated February 12, 2025, due to disciplinary actions stemming from his extended unauthorized absence from work.
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The statement specified that the former chief magistrate was absent without official leave from August 25, 2023, to December 2024.
According to Vic-Jumbo, a disciplinary panel reviewed George’s conduct, found him culpable, and recommended that he be given the option of voluntary retirement within a specified period.
When he failed to take this option, the Commission proceeded with compulsory retirement, effective February 10, 2025, the statement added.
The JSC emphasized that this action was entirely separate from the current political situation in Rivers State.
The Commission took exception to recent remarks by George, which allegedly implied that his departure was due to the emergence of a “quasi-military administration” in the state.
The Commission firmly labeled George’s assertions as “a contrived falsehood” and “a mischievous action calculated to deceive the public, attract undue sympathy, and undeserved patronage.”
“The general public should be properly guided,” the disclaimer concluded, distancing the judiciary from political interpretations surrounding the former magistrate’s departure.
This development contributes to the increasing tension and sensitivity surrounding governance and judicial affairs in Rivers State, especially amidst recent political unrest.
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