Rear Admiral Jamila Abubakar Sadiq-Malafa (Rtd.), Nigeria’s trailblazing female naval officer, has been appointed as a Judge Evaluator and African Liaison at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
Malafa, who made history in 2017 as the first woman from Northern Nigeria to be promoted to Commodore equivalent to Brigadier General in the Army will now represent Africa’s voice at one of the world’s most respected judicial institutions.
Her new ICC position, though on a part-time basis, marks a significant transition from a celebrated military career into international justice. A judge evaluator operates within the Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), a subsidiary of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, and is tasked with assessing the performance of the Court’s departments, including the Office of the Prosecutor. The role focuses on data collection, analysis, and reporting to foster accountability and continuous improvement.
Alongside her ICC duties, Malafa also serves as the Director of Legal Services at the Nigerian Legion Headquarters in Abuja, where she is expected to drive reforms to reposition the organization for greater relevance.
A Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, she spent her naval career in the legal department, eventually becoming Director of Legal Services. She retired in 2023 as Rear Admiral, becoming the first Northern woman ever to achieve the rank.
Her career was defined by resilience and professionalism, breaking gender and regional barriers that have long existed in Nigeria’s military. She has continued to inspire women across the country to aspire to higher leadership positions.