Rivers State Chief Magistrate Ejike King George has resigned, citing discomfort with the emergency rule imposed in the state. In his resignation letter, he described the quasi-military administration as incompatible with the legal profession’s principles and expressed regret over his decision but emphasized the need for integrity.
Rivers State Chief Magistrate, Ejike King George, has resigned from his position over the recent imposition of emergency rule in the state. In his resignation letter to the Chief Judge, George expressed his discomfort with the “quasi-military administration” appointed to oversee the state, stating that the governance structure was fundamentally opposed to the principles of the legal profession.
George, who had spent 16 of his 22 years in legal practice as a magistrate under democratic administrations, found it difficult to continue working in the current political environment. He described the decision as "difficult and regrettable," but said that staying on would imply an unacceptable acquiescence to a governance system that undermines the values upheld by the judiciary.
In his final note, he thanked the Chief Judge for the opportunity to serve, emphasizing his disapproval of the political structure now in place in Rivers State.
