Former CJN Dahiru Musdapher dies at 75

Aformer Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has died at the age of 75.

A close relative of the deceased, Alhaji Muhammad Kabiru, told Daily Trust that the late CJN died around 12 midnight Monday in London after battling with a kidneyrelated illness.

Kabiru said before the late CJN left for medication in London he had been undergoing dialysis in Nigeria.

It was gathered that the late CJN had been in London hospital for almost a year receiving treatment.

He attended Rumfa College, Kano. While at the college he was consistently one of the best students in the school. He was classmates with several other distinguished Nigerians including former head of state, late General Sani Abacha, late Alhaji Adamu Dankabo and Justice R.D. Mohammed and many others.

After concluding his secondary education, he secured a job at the Northern Regional Ministry of Finance in Kaduna as a clerical officer in 1963.

Shortly afterwards, he secured admission to study at the Institute of Administration, in Zaria (Which later became Ahmadu Bello University)

Some of his classmates were Justice Umaru Abdullahi, former CJN Aloysius KatsinaAlu, amongst others. He left for the United Kingdom to conclude his legal training in 1964.

He was called to the British bar in 1967 (Middle Temple). On return to Nigeria he proceeded to the Law school where he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1968.

The Jigawa-born Musdapher was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on August 27, 2011 and sworn in by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 29, 2011. He served as Chief Judge of Kano State between 1979 and 1985.

Musdapher served as a member of the Court of Appeal between 1985 and 2003, and later joined the Supreme Court.

He retired from the bench five years ago on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.