FG orders CJN Onnoghen to vacate Office with immediate effect

The President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has ordered the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen to immediately vacate office.

Consequently, the government will on Monday January 14, 2019 arraign the CJN before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja on charges of failures to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.

The charge against Justice Onnoghensighted by PRNigeria has already being filed and served on him last Friday at his official residence in Abuja preparatory for his appearance at the tribunal.

The Federal Government among others is accusing Nigeria’s Head of the judiciary of refusal to declare his assets in breach of the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act.

He is also being accused of maintaining Domiciliary foreign currencies account which comprised Dollars Account, Pound Sterling Account and Euro Account which are alleged to be contrary to relevant laws, especially for public office holders.

Justice Onnoghen, whose appointment suffered delay by President Muhammadu Buhari over undisclosed issues, may be the first CJN in Nigeria to be arraigned for criminal charges by the Federal Government.

Apart from putting the Chief Justice in the dock on Monday, PRNigeria learnt that a motion on notice is to be filed against him praying the tribunal to order him to vacate office and recuse himself from office so as to prevent alleged interference in his arraignment and trial.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria was said to have been engaged by Federal Government to prosecute justice Onnoghen.

Already, eminent lawyers have volunteered to put their services at the disposal of Justice Onnoghen.

(Credit: Daily Post ng)