The National Judicial Council (NJC) has refuted claims circulating that two justices from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal panel, Justices Mistura Bolaji-Yusuf and Boloukuoromo Ugo, have died under mysterious circumstances. The NJC dismissed the reports, clarifying that all five justices who sat on the panel and upheld President Bola Tinubu’s election are alive and in good health.

The justices were part of the panel that delivered a unanimous judgment on September 6, 2023, affirming Tinubu’s victory in the February 25, 2023, presidential election and dismissing petitions from the opposition candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, as lacking merit.

Allegations of the justices’ sudden deaths surfaced, with claims that Justice Bolaji-Yusuf passed away overnight and Justice Ugo was found unresponsive following a loud noise. The NJC Secretary, Ahmed Saleh, dismissed these reports, stating, “Please ignore the news, it is a lie. The justices are alive, well, and doing their jobs.”

A Court of Appeal staff member echoed this sentiment, condemning the rumors as “false and mischievous,” and noted that the justices are in good health.