Nigeria’s number one man, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condoled the judiciary over the death of two prominent members of the bench, Justices Chima Centus Nweze and Peter Hoommuk Mallong.

The president, in a statement on Tuesday by his spokesman, Dele Alake, said the death of the Supreme Court’s Justice Nweze and that of Justice Mallong of the Federal High Court hours apart, at a period the judiciary was in need of more competent, erudite and learned members of the bench, was painful.

The President expressed his condolences to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariowoola, and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, over the demise of their colleagues.

“I extend my condolences to the families of our two departed eminent jurists, Supreme Court Justice Chima Centus Nweze and Federal High Court Justice, Peter Mallong.

“I’m saddened by these two unfortunate deaths at the same time. These transitions diminished our judiciary, robbing that important arm of government of capable, erudite and learned justices at a time we need more honourable, capable men and women to be in charge of the courts.

“I also send my condolences to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chief Judge of Federal High Court on their departed colleagues. May God grant the families of the deceased the comfort and fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss of their loved ones. May their co-workers in the temple of justice find strength and grace.”

Alake said the Supreme Court Justice who died at the age of 64 was appointed to the bench of the apex court in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.