From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

A famous Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Niki Tobi is dead. He died after a protracted sickness which denied him a valedictory court session upon retirement from the Bench.

Already, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed has paid glowing tribute to the late jurist.

Mohammed said Tobi contributed to the development of jurisprudence in Nigeria and will be greatly remembered for his assiduousness in reviewing the draft 1999 Constitution under the military administration of General Abdulsalam  Abubakar.

In a statement by his media aide, Ahuruka Isah, the CJN said he was shocked about Justice Tobi’s death.

“The CJN, on behalf of himself, the Justices, staff of the Supreme Court and, indeed, the entire judiciary of the country commiserates with the immediate family, relations as well as friends and associates of the respected late jurist, who joined the Supreme Court Bench in 2002 and retired on 13 April 2010.

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“His Lordship urges members of the deceased’s family to be comforted by the knowledge that the departed jurist served his country with commitment, dedication and honesty. The CJN prays that Almighty God will receive his soul and grant them eternal rest.”

Justice Tobi died in the evening of Thursday at the National Hospital, Abuja while  his corpse has since been moved to the morgue of Garki General Hospital.

Justice Tobi, who died almost a month to his 76th birthday, was born July 14, 1940, in Esanma in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State.

He retired on July 14, 2010, as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

He was an academic before his career on the bench.

As an academic, he was variously the Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Maiduguri, Borno State and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Services) of the same institution.