LAGOS Nigeria

Nigeria has extended the appointment of the acting chief justice for three months, an official statement said on Saturday.

According to the statement issued by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the appointment of Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has been extended on the recommendation of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Muhammad was named acting chief justice in January after the president suspended the head of the judiciary Walter Onnoghen for alleged corruption allegations -- drawing mixed reactions from the legal community.

The extension came a few days after the country's conduct tribunal convicted Onnoghen of charges of false assets declaration, ordered his removal as substantive chief justice and barred him from holding public office for 10 years.

Onnoghen has appealed the conviction, insisting he was innocent.