Justice Chima Centus Nweze, a respected member of the Nigerian Supreme Court bench, died Sunday at the age of 64. His passing was officially confirmed by the Supreme Court on Monday.

Nweze’s death elicited statements of condolence from across the legal community, including Nigerian Bar Association President Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau. In a statement, Maikyau praised Nweze as “an astute and erudite jurist” whose decisions helped shape Nigerian jurisprudence.

Born in 1958 in Enugu State, Nweze joined the country’s highest court in 2014 when former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed him based on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council. He brought over three decades of prior judicial experience to the Supreme Court.

Throughout his long legal career, Justice Nweze earned wide respect for his incisive intellect, discipline, and courageous defense of democratic ideals. His honorable service leaves a significant imprint on the nation’s judicial system.

As the Supreme Court mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished members, the NBA President expressed condolences to Chief Justice Ariwoola, the Enugu State government, and Nweze’s family and friends. Nweze’s death represents a major loss for Nigeria’s judiciary and legal community.