NJC constitutes panel to probe Onnoghen, acting CJN

Chief Justice Onnoghen is in the eye of the storm over asset declaration

The National Judicial Council (NJC) has established a panel to consider the petitions filed against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the acting CJN, Justice Tanko Mohammad.

Mr Soji Oye, NJC Director of Information, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noted that the Council took the decision at the end of an emergency meeting convened to consider the responses of both justices to the three petitions written against them.

“Members resolved to constitute into the Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee in accordance with Regulation 17 of the National Judicial Council Judicial Discipline Regulations, 2017 and report to Council on the 13th of February 2019,” the statement said.

The Council also received a new petition against Justice Onnoghen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he added.

According to him, the petition has been forwarded to the suspended CJN while he has been asked to respond within seven working days.

Also, the NJC reaffirmed its confidence in Justice Umaru Abdullahi and asked him to continue as the interim chairman of the Council.