Chris Steven, Abuja

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has replaced Justice Ayo Salami, a former President of the Court of Appeal, as the head of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee (COTRIMCO).

A statement Tuesday by Soji Oye , Director of Information of NJC, said Salami was replaced by Justice Suleiman Galadima, a retired Justice of the Supreme Court.

Ayo Salami had rejected the appointment for personal reasons.

Oye in the statement said Galadima and other members of the committee would be inaugurated at the Supreme Court by 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1.

The statement reads, “The National Judicial Council under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen, GCON, has picked a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Mr. Suleiman Galadima, CFR, as the new chairman of the Corruption and Financial Crime Cases Trial Monitoring Committee.

“He is to replace Hon. Justice Mr. Ayo Salami (retired) who excused himself from the committee as the chairman, after initially accepting to serve.

“The committee will be inaugurated tomorrow, Wednesday, November 1st, 2017 by Hon. Justice Mr. Onnoghen, at the Council’s Conference Hall by 2pm.”

Justice Galadima retired as a Justice of the Supreme Court on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 on October 10, 2016.