The Rivers Judicial Service Commission (JSC) says the retirement of Chief Magistrate Ejike King George is not connected to the political crisis in the state.
George announced his retirement on Monday, citing the current political crisis in the state, which led to the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers House of Assembly.
“This difficult and regrettable decision is informed largely by my discomfort with the recent appointment of a quasi-military administration to run the affairs of a modern State like ours,” his letter announcing the resignation read.
But in a statement on Tuesday, the commission’s Acting Secretary Blessings Vic-Jumbo denied claims that George’s retirement was voluntary and politically motivated.
The JSC said George was compulsorily retired by the Commission through a letter dated 12th February 2025, following disciplinary actions tied to his prolonged unauthorized absence from duty. It detailed that the former chief magistrate had been absent without leave from August 25, 2023, to December 2024.
According to Vic-Jumbo, the disciplinary panel, which reviewed George’s conduct, found him wanting and recommended that he be offered the option to retire voluntarily within a set time frame.
Upon his failure to do so, the Commission proceeded with compulsory retirement effective February 10, 2025, the statement added.
This action, the statement emphasized, had no connection to the current political climate in Rivers State. The JSC took issue with recent comments by George, which allegedly suggested that his departure was triggered by the rise of a so-called “quasi-military administration” in the state.
The Commission firmly described George’s claims 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 added, distancing the judiciary from political narratives being woven around the former magistrate’s exit.
This development adds to the growing tension and sensitivity surrounding governance and judicial matters in Rivers State, particularly amidst recent political upheavals.
