- Safiu Kehinde
The Rivers State Government has debunked claims by former Chief Magistrate, Ejike George, that he voluntarily retired from service.
NPO Reported that Ejike had last week tendered his resignation letter, expressing his discomfort with the emergency rule in the state which he described as a ‘quasi-military administration’.
Ejike had, in the letter addressed to the Honourable Chief Judge of Rivers State through the Secretary of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission (JSC), labelled the Ibas-led administration as ‘alien’ and a contrast to the judiciary principle.
However, as against the former Chief Magistrate’s claim, the commission in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Acting Secretary, Blessing Vic-Jumbo, stated that Ejike was compulsorily retired.
Vic-Jumbo clarifying that Ejike was compulsorily retired since the 12th of February in a disciplinary action over his absence from duty without leave from August 25, 2023, to December 2024.
The commission claimed it had advised him to retire voluntarily, but he did not comply.
“My attention has been drawn to news making the rounds in the media credited to one Ejike King George Esq, retired Chief Magistrate, dated April 11, 2025, to the effect that he voluntarily retired due to ‘… the recent appointment of a quasi-military administration to run the affairs…’ of Rivers State.
“To set the records straight, the person we know as Ejike K. George Esq. (Chief Magistrate Grade II Retd) was, by a letter dated February 12, 2025, from the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), compulsorily retired from service with effect from February 10, 2025, for disciplinary reasons bordering specifically on a complaint of continuous absence from duty without leave from August 25, 2023, till December 2024.
“Sequel to the above, Ejike K. George Esq appeared before a disciplinary panel, which found him wanting and made recommendations to the Commission. The Commission offered Ejike K. George Esq. the opportunity to retire voluntarily within a specific time frame or be compulsorily retired.
“Ejike K. George Esq, having failed to retire voluntarily within the said time frame, was consequently retired compulsorily with effect from February 10, 2025, and this was duly communicated to him,” the statement read in part.
In contrast to Ejike’s claim, the JSC stressed that his compulsory retirement was unrelated to the state’s political situation.