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  • Onnoghen: The man, the judge, the end

    WALTER Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, born December 22, 1950, started his career as a pupil state counsel between 1978 and 1979.

    He left public service to join the firm of Effiom Ekong & Company (1979 till 1988).

    He later became the Principal Partner at Walter Onnoghen & Associates, Calabar from 1988 to 1989.

    Soon after, he began a career on the Bench. As High Court judge of Cross Rivers State, he was made the Chairman of the state Armed Robbery and Fire Arms Tribunal, a post he held for three years between 1990 and 1993.

    In 1998, he served as the Chairman, Failed Bank Tribunal, Ibadan Zone.

    Onnoghen was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 1998 from where he served until 2005 when he was elevated to the Supreme Court.

    In February 2016, Onnoghen led a seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court who reviewed and upheld the death sentence of Chukwuemeka Ezeugo a.k.a. Rev. King of the Christian Praying Assembly.

    In 2007, Justice Onnoghen played a huge role in the 2007 elections which saw the late Umaru Yar’adua becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He had a dissenting judgment that annulled the presidential election. His position was, however, a minority judgment.

    Appointment as CJN Onnoghen’s confirmation as CJN was dogged by controversy following its protracted nature. The National Judicial Council (NJC) on October 10, 2016 recommended him to President Muhammadu Buhari, being the most senior at the Supreme Court after the retirement of Mohammed Mahmud.

    It took until February 7, 2017 for Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to transmit Onnoghen’s name to the Senate for confirmation as substantive CJN.

    He was confirmed by the Senate on March 1, 2017 and sworn in on March 7, 2017.

    His trial

    Onnoghen made unwanted history as the first CJN to be suspended and docked.

    Onnoghen’s trial started when a petition was filed by the civil rights group the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI) at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    It was alleged that he owned “sundry accounts primarily funded through cash deposits made by himself up to as recently as 10 August 2016, which appear to have been run in a manner inconsistent with financial transparency and the code of conduct for public officials.”

    The trial commenced on January 14 but Onnoghen was absent. It was then adjourned to the following week because Onnoghen faulted the summons procedure.

    The next hearing was slated for January 22 but he failed to show up in court again. Following his absence again, President Buhari suspended him on January 26 and appointed Tanko Ibrahim as Acting CJN.

    Onnoghen’s office was thereafter sealed by the police, which sparked outrage from lawyers and politicians.

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar described Onnoghen’s suspension as “dictatorship taken too far”, but Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, accused those criticising President Buhari over Onnoghen’s suspension as hypocrites.

    In the course of the saga, different courts gave orders of injunction against his arrest and prosecution, most of which were subsisting before the CCT order that led to his suspension.

    Following Onnoghen’s suspension on January 25, the United States issued a statement on the development, with Osinbajo saying he was not aware of the former CJN’s planned prosecution.

    Even the Senate weighed in, challenging Onnoghen’s suspension at the Supreme Court. Onnoghen sued the Federal Government over his suspension but lost his bid to stop his trial at the CCT, which ordered his arrest, forcing him to appear for his arraignment, which took place on February 15.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on February 7, said it traced $30,000 paid to Onnoghen’s account by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    The CCT, on March 29, dismissed Onnoghen’s no-case submission, following which he opened his defence, calling only one witness. He closed his defence on April 3.

    After NJC recommended him for retirement, Onnoghen tendered his resignation before the President could act on the recommendation.

     

    The case against Onnoghen

    The NJC reached the decision to suspend Onnoghen after reviewing damning evidence by EFCC against him, argued by two brilliant prosecuting counsel Ekene Iheanacho and Rotimi Oyedepo.

    They argued successfully that Onnoghen violated the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

    He was accused of infidelity to the Constitution and violation of other laws prohibiting economic and financial related offences.

    EFCC said he could not prove the legitimate source or origin of the sum of $1,716,000.00 found in his account.

    “The respondent, who never declared having $1,716,000.00 in his asset declaration form as cash in hand, wanted this honourable Panel to believe that he accumulated the said sum in his house and only deposited them in the bank between 2009 and 2016 in cash.

    “My lords, the respondent also attempted to suggest to the Honourable Panel that the $1,716,000.00 cash deposit was earned by him upon his part-time appointment as Justice of the Supreme Court of Gambia.

    REad also: Onnoghen’s resignation: Buhari is vindicated, says APC

    “My lords, this explanation, with due respect, is laughable in that the Respondent was appointed on the 22nd day of November, 2012.

    “On the face of the appointment letter, it is clear that the Respondent is entitled to the 5,000 GBP and 22,000 Dalasis which is payable per session to be determined by the Chief Justice of Gambia in line with the Rules of the Supreme Court of Gambia.

    “The respondent failed to show this panel that consequent upon his appointment in November, 2012 and the assumption of that office in 2013 the number of sessions he sat as a member of the Supreme Court of Gambia.

    “The respondent also failed to state how much he earned from Gambia, how he was paid whether cash or through his account. What is clear is that if the respondent is to earn any fee from Gambia it will be GBP and not USD. What is in issue is the USD paid in exhibit P4C.”

    EFCC also questioned a Mercedes Benz GL 450 worth N7, 000,000.00 from Mr. Joe Agi (SAN) to Onnoghen in 2009.

    The commission said the SAN also made a cash deposit of $30,000.00 on June 29, 2009 to His Lordship’s account.

    “The respondent failed to show this Honourable Panel how he paid for the vehicle from his lawful earnings.

    “As a matter of fact, the respondent was confronted with all his account before this honourable panel during cross examination to prove how and the source of the money he purportedly gave to Joe Agi, SAN, as purchase price of the vehicle but couldn’t as there is no such payment.

    “Our findings and humble submission is that these defence shows clearly that the respondent is fully aware that by virtue of his appointment as a Judicial Officer, the receipt of car gift worth N7,000,000.00 and $30,000 from a practicing legal practitioner is clearly misconduct under the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

    “We therefore urge my lords to find in our favour that the respondent received the car gift and the sum of $30,000.00 from the DW2, a practising lawyer who had appeared, appearing and may still appear before him.”

    EFCC also said Onnoghen received pecuniary gifts from practising lawyers, namely Ogunsanya Adewunmi (N250,000), Paul Usoro, SAN,          (N350,000), Emeka Etiaba (SAN) (N250,000), Onyechi Ikpeasu (SAN) (N300,000), and Eze Duru Iheoma (SAN) (N100,000).

    Although Onnoghen said the cash gifts were given to him during his daughter’s wedding, and that the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers does not forbid judges from accepting gifts that are cultural, EFCC said Onnoghen was under the obligation to avoid situations which might reasonably give rise to the suspicion of or appearance of favouritism or partiality with individual members of the legal profession who practice regularly in court where the respondent presides.

    “My lords, by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, members of the public expect a high standard of conduct from a Judge who, at all time, must avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all his activities both in his professional and private life.

    “It is, therefore, our humble submission that in view of the evidence before this Honourable Panel, the petitioner has established the breach of the Code of Conducts for Judicial Officers against the Respondent and we urge my lords to so hold,” EFCC said.

  • SACRILEGE! Alleged sale of Osun goddess sparks crisis in Osogbo

    The ancient city of Osogbo is in the spotlight over the alleged disappearance of Osun deity. SINA FADARE, who visited the city, reports that there is more to the issue than meets the eye.

    THE controversy generated by the alleged sale of Osun goddess is compounded by the recent removal of the Baba Osun and the Iya Osun, the male and female custodians of the deity, allegedly by the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun.

    Chief Adigun Olayiwola Olosun, the man who blew the whistle over the sacrilegious act, had alleged that the missing deity was sold to some people. His allegation followed a call he claimed to have received from a man in Lomé, Togo, confessing that they bought the goddess from a tall woman called Iya Osun in alleged active connivance with Oba Olanipekun, in the sum of N15 million.

    The call, Adigun said, was necessitated by the difficulty those who took the deity away were having in putting it in the aircraft that would fly it to Europe where it was billed for sale. In the bid to get out of the quagmire, their accomplices in Osogbo had to avail the buyers with Adigun’s phone number so they could contact him for possible solution, particularly as the goddess was said to have become angry, appearing to them in dreams and demanding that she be returned to the Osun temple.

    In a bid to retrieve the deity, Adigun agreed to meet with the caller from Togo in Ibadan, where it was revealed that the deal was allegedly masterminded by the ousted Arugba (the deity’s calabash bearer).  Thereafter, he took possession of the deity after their N15 million was refunded.

    But speaking with our correspondent in his palace, Oba Olanipekun dismissed Adigun as a jester who did not know what he was talking about.

    According to him, the Ataoja (the Oba himself) and the Osun deity are inseparable entities like Siamese twins, adding that his title has its origin in the Osun deity, hence nobody can sell it.

    He said: “Osun is a spirit. She only makes herself available to those she chooses to see. And if anybody dares her, she will prove her spiritual superiority. “After my great grandfather, Laro, had settled at the base of the river when they arrived from lpole, Osun came out in form of a pretty woman and presented a big fish to Laro as a symbol of an agreement she had with them that they should move a bit far away from the river bank, and there would be a covenant between her and Laro’s people.

    “As part of the process of getting the big fish from Osun, Atewo Gbeja (the fish receiver) became the title of any Oba in Osogbo till today. It was Atewo Gbeja that was eventually pronounced as Ataoja.”

    Historical antecedent

    Efforts to dig further into the alleged sale of Osun deity revealed the complexity of the story of the deity itself. A lot of loopholes and unanswered questions make the situation more complex. Unlike other notable gods in Yoruba land like Ogun (the god of Iron) or Sango (the god of thunder), whose symbol can be moved from one place to the other depending on where the priest resides, the origin of Osun Osogbo presents a completely different scenario.

    According to the Araba of Osogbo land, Chief Yemi Osundagbonu Elebui bon, the Osun goddess was based in a river where the settlers, Timehin, a powerful hunter, and Laro came from lpole to settle because of water scarcity.

    He said: “It was Timehin, a great hunter, who went to Ipole to announce the discovery of a big river where the people could settle and make a living. In every dry season, the people usually experienced scarcity of drinking water. He, therefore, invited the people to come and settle close to the river.

    “Osun is the owner of Osogbo. Olutimehin and Laro, who were the first settlers in Osogbo, met Osun on ground. When they wanted to settle very close to the river, Osun told them that a spirit and human beings could not leave together.

    Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and Former Baba Osun, Adigun

    “The people decided to start a living very close to the river. One day, while they were cutting some trees to make a home, one of the trees fell into the river. Immediately the tree fell inside the river, a voice came from the river saying, ‘Oso ile, aje ile won ti fo gbogbo ikoko aro mi’, meaning all the witches and wizards in the jungle have destroyed my dye pots.

    “After this strange voice, Timehin, who was a brave hunter, put on his war regalia and entered the river. He saw Osun inside the river and narrated their predicament to Osun and why they came to settle in the area.”

    According to the Araba of Osogbo, “the Osun goddess told Timehin that they could not live together with her because they were human beings and she was a spirit. But she told them that they should move forward until they got to three hills where they could settle.

    “The first hill they saw was Oke Ohuntoto now in Osun forest. The second one was Jamegbon and the third one was where the Central Mosque is built today. That was how the two families, Laro and Timehin, settled down.

    “Meanwhile, Timehin came with a calf from the jungle to domicile in his compound. That was why up till today, the Timehin household is referred to as Omo a merin wa telu. That is, someone who brought in an elephant to domicile in the town.

    “Osun told them that she would always assist them and both would live in harmony.

    “When the Fulani army wanted to invade Osogbo to launch an attack on Oyo Empire, it was Osun who saved them. It was Osun who came out like a pretty woman, prepared egbo and gbegiri soup and gave it to Ilorin warriors who were stationed at the entrance of the town with a view to overrunning the town during the night.

    “After eating the food, they all died. That single act was the point of agreement between Osun and the Ataoja of Osogbo who usually visits the river as a symbol of appreciation.

    “How then can we separate Osun from Osogbo? It is not possible. It was Osun who did not allow war to ravage the town, and she also gave children to the barren. So, there is no way we can separate Osun from Osogbo.”

    Genesis of crisis

    The Nation investigation revealed that since Adigun was relieved of his position as the Baba Olosun, a position he had allegedly used to his advantage, especially in Germany where he resided, things have not remained the same.

    It was gathered that the Ataoja had to take a drastic action in order to restore sanity to the traditional temple. It was alleged that the son of the Iya Osun, Ayo Kolade, invited his wife to live with him at the Osun temple, a step the Ataoja said was a sacrilege. All efforts to make Kolade see reason was said to have proved futile.

    Against this backdrop, the Ataoja was said to have instructed the chiefs to eject him and his wife from the temple; a situation the mother, Adesiyan Olayiwola (lya Olosun), was not happy with. Hence, she packed her belongings and left the temple.

    Providing the background to the feud, the Ajagunna of Osogbo, Chief Gabriel Oparanti, said: “The Ataoja did not remove the lya Osun and the Baba Osun; they removed themselves. The Ataoja asked Ayo Kolade, who was living with his wife in Osun House, to move out because it was a taboo for husband and wife to live together in the place. But when he disobeyed, the Ataoja told us that we, the Chiefs of Osogbo land, should instruct him to vacate the Osun House.”

    Ajagunna noted that when Kolade refused to move out, her mother was invited. “We invited Iya Osun and informed her that the Ataoja wanted her son to vacate the Osun House, which was formerly the Ataoja palace, because he disrespected the King.

    “But the Iya Osun said that if her son must vacate the place, she too would leave. We told her that she needed not to leave the place. What we saw next was that they came with two tricycles to pack their belongings from the Osun House. According to Oparanti, the Baba Osun and the Iya Osun hail from the same family, implying that Ayo Kolade is related to the Baba Osun. “That was why the Baba Osun too decided to leave, prompting the Ataoja to appoint new Baba Osun and Iya Osun.” However, Oyetunji, went into the background to Layi Adigun’s history, saying that he was not appointed by anybody to become the Baba Olosun. According to him, “Laro’s wife was the first Iya Osun.

    She was the one who followed the Arugba to the river. Since then, it is the wife of the Oba that usually performs that function. The Osun deity is my property and anybody that is so blessed by the goddess can worship it. “Osun is a spirit and I am her symbol. Everybody follows me to the river every year to offer sacrifice and supplication. Nobody ever gave Layi (Adigun) or his father the traditional title of Baba Olosun. The Ataoja only has Baba Orisa, because he has many gods like Oro, Ogun and Ifa, apart from the Osun goddess. “The Ataoja used to appease all these gods. So, we have Baba Oloosa, not Baba Olosun.

    The Ataoja is the owner and symbol of Osun, and no one else. Nobody can sell my Osun deity, because it is a spirit which you cannot see with the naked eye unless you are an Ataoja.” According to him, “The man called Layi Adigun, who alleged that the Osun deity had been stolen, does not have any connection with Osun. Osun assisted his father in the past and he leveraged on this to attach himself with Osun devotee. His father came from Otan Ayegbaju.

    He was a bricklayer. “According to Adigun himself, he claimed that there was a time he was kidnapped and suddenly remembered the Osun goddess which his father was worshipping and he cried to her to save him. “He said he saw a woman with a special bead like Iya Osun who suddenly appeared at the scene and took him away. He said he later found himself at the Osun shrine and did not know where he was until passers-by recognised him and took him to Ataoja’s palace. “When he got to Ataoja ‘s palace, he told everybody what he saw, and since then, he has been attached to Osun worshippers.”

    The royal father explained that Adigun’s father used the Osun goddess as a means of survival many years ago. He said: “He had a statue then called ‘Jubilee, which he used to carry about, collecting money from the people. Children usually followed him. We used to give the old man one penny in those days as a small boy.

    He used that method to eat and claimed to be a devotee of Osun goddess.” Can Osun goddess be sold? Adigun, who claimed to be the CEO of lya Dudu Centre for Yoruba Arts and Culture in Germany, insisted that he had the custody of the said Osun deity that was allegedly sold, though he could not present it to anybody to see. He argued, “If the lrele in lkirun and the Otin in Okuku can be sold, what stopped fraudsters from selling Osun? They did.” But the Ataoja of Osogbo insisted that Adigun was out of his mind and did not

    know what he was saying. He said: “Osun is a heritage which has been passing from one generation to the other. I have followed my fathers, the two past Ataojas, to the Osun groove when I was young. I used to celebrate everything with them. All that they were doing then were exactly what l am doing now.

    “Layiwola Adigun is hungry. But he should not tarnish the good names of my forefathers which l hold in high esteem.” Corroborating the royal father, Chief Oparanti, the Ajagunna of Osogbo, said: “Nobody dares sell Osun deity. Anybody who dares to set an eye on it apart from the priest that is in custody of the Osun House will go blind. Therefore, we do not believe it because it is an unverified information. To Elebuibon, the sale of Osun deity is not possible. “It is a goddess that belongs to all. It cannot be stolen. Osun goddess is the only god we celebrate in Osogbo.

    Osun Osogbo is a deity that has the origin and foundation of Osogbo. “The man who claimed that Osun deity has been sold is telling a lie, because it is not possible. If it was true, he should show a proof of how it was allegedly claimed back. l did my own independent investigation and l did not see any iota of truth in the claim that the deity has been sold.

    “The throne of Ataoja of Osogbo has a lot to do with Osun goddess. There are some people who are into antiquity business but they are warned by government not to sell the core traditional ones.” With Elebuibon, the Araba of Osogbo and a renowned lfa priest and custodian of deities in the ancient town of Osogbo asserting that the Osun deity cannot be moved much less sold, there are many questions only Adigun could answer: where did Adigun keep the so- called Osun deity since he relocated to his base in Germany? Who gave him the title of Baba Osun he is currently claiming? How did he raise the N15 million allegedly paid to those who claimed to have bought the deity without informing any of the traditional chiefs in Osogbo? What will happen to the next Osun celebration if the deity has disappeared as claimed? The answers to these knotty questions are as complex as a riddle. But traditionalists insist that Osun deity cannot be seen with an ordinary eye, much less taken away by someone who is not a devotee.

  • Adekuoroye ripe for Olympic gold, say coach Purity

    Female coach, Nigeria Wrestling Federation (NWF), Akuh Purity believes World Wrestling Championship silver medalist, Odunayo Adekuoroye (57kg) has gathered enough experience to win gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

    Adekuoroye, a two-time Commonwealth champion, claimed her 5th African title as Nigeria a total of 13 medals (6 gold, 2 silver and 5 bronze) at the just concluded African Wrestling Championship held in Tunisia.

    Purity noted that the 25-year-old, who had earlier won gold at the Grand Prix of Germany in Dormagen and bronze at the Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov ranking series tournament in Ruse, Bulgaria must be supported by the country in order to achieve her dream.

    “Odunayo is determined to be at the top and that really helps her. So we are very glad and happy because it was a very huge success for us especially for the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, winning the title back is a joy. Without even dropping a point for anyone was fantastic. She is quite obedient and listens to instruction. In the final, I told her that the Cameroonian (Esoombe Tiako) is going to come after her and that she should just keep calm, after the attack, she should counter-attack and that was exactly what she did and she defeated her opponent within 29 seconds.

    Read also: 2019 African Wrestling Championship: Adekuoroye, Oborududu lead 14 others to Tunisia

    “I can assure you Odunayo has gotten enough experience. Within the first quarter of the year, she won the Grand Prix of Germany, won bronze in Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov and now the best wrestler in African Championship.

    “We will be having our Olympic qualifier in September and I can assure you she is going to qualify for the World Championships and we are doing everything to put her in shape to qualify for the championship. She is matured enough now, she knows and we too will keep eye on her, trying to see that she does better and encourage her. We still want the government and good citizen of Nigeria to really encourage her too,” Purity said.

    While commending all the wrestlers for their performance in Tunisia, Purity said, “The athletes performed brilliantly we started the preparation early, we started immediately after the National Sports Festival and I can assure you both the male and female team listened to instructions. We told them to give their 100 percent and that was exactly what they did. So I am very happy.”

  • Man allegedly hacks only brother to death over N100,000 loan

    The police in Niger State have arrested a 45-year-old, ldris Aliyu of Daka’agi village in Wushishi Local Government Area, for allegedly killing his younger brother, Aliyu Aliyu.

    The Nation learnt that Aliyu was cut with a machete by his older brother for refusing to agree to the sale of farm products to offset a N100,000 loan.

    The suspect claimed he borrowed the sum of N100,000 from a friend of his and gave it to his late brother to renovate his house in the same area, adding that he promised the owner of the money that he would pay back after harvesting their farm produce.

    The suspect said his younger brother had refused that they sell the farm produce to offset the loan.

    Idris, out of anger inflicted machete cut on his younger brother leading to his death.

    “I and my brother have been living and farming together since our parents gave birth to us. I borrowed N100,000  from a friend and gave it to him to fix his house, yet, he refused that we should pay back the money .I begged him to sell our farm produce to settle the man (lender)he didn’t listen to me.

    “After the harvest, I told him the need to settle the person I borrowed the money from, he refused to listen to me and insisted that we were not going sell any farm produce to that effect. I lost my temper, pulled my machete and inflicted deep cut on his neck which resulted to his death.

    Read also: Drug trafficking: Another Nigerian arrested in Saudi Arabia

    “I killed my brother due to the pressure from the person I borrowed the money from and after my brother refused that we should sell our farm produce to pay him off.”

    The suspect who is married with two wives and 13 children regretted killing his brother. He attributed the incident to the work of the devil.

    ”My life is finished, I have killed my only brother whose wife will give birth any moment  from now; I am ruined forever,” Aliyu lamented.

    The spokesman of the state police command, Muhammad Abubakar who confirmed the incident said operatives found the deceased lying in a pool of his blood in his residence when they received the report and went to arrest the suspect.

    Abubakar said the matter would be charged to court after investigation.

  • ONNOGHEN RESIGNS AHEAD OF IMMINENT SACK

    THE suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, resigned from office on Thursday.

    His resignation came less than 48 hours after the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended his compulsory retirement.

    His resignation, it was learnt, was aimed at pre-empting the action that President Muhammadu Buhari would take on the report of the NJC.

    It was gathered that at the time the embattled CJN tendered his resignation, President Buhari was still seeking legal advice on whether to retire him or subject him to full trial on the allegations levelled against him.

    Onnoghen, however, decided to beat the President to it in order that he might remain on the honours roll of past Chief Justices of Nigeria and also enjoy the full benefits accruing to the office.

    Explaining why Onnoghen resigned his appointment in a telephone conversation with one of our correspondents yesterday, counsel to the suspended CJN, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, said he acted in the interest of the judiciary.

    Awomolo, who confirmed that Onnoghen resigned on Thursday, said: “I have just spoken with him. He confirmed to me that he resigned yesterday. He said he resigned in the interest of the Judiciary.”

    Awomolo is the lead defence lawyer in Onnoghen’s trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on charges of non-declaration of asset.

    Another Senior Advocate in Onnoghen’s defence team, who sought anonymity, also confirmed that the suspended CJN put in his resignation letter on Thursday, saying that he addressed it to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Another top source in the Supreme Court said the suspended CJN resigned on Thursday evening following a fait accompli decision taken by the NJC.

    The source said: “The CJN was shocked at the decision of the NJC, so he offered to resign instead of being thrown out through compulsory retirement.

    “I think he chose resignation because it is a better option than a compulsory retirement, which implies some indictment. “The truth is that if a public or a judicial officer is compulsorily retired, he is not entitled to some benefits.

    “Technically, compulsory retirement has some stigma attached to it while resignation would allow the CJN to get full complement of his entitlements, including a N2.5 billion package.

    “One of the official perks enjoyed by past Chief Justices of Nigeria is a retirement home worth about N2 billion, provided by the NJC.”

    Another source, who confirmed the resignation of the CJN said: “I believe Onnoghen opted for resignation because President Buhari can either accept or reject his retirement.

    “And do not forget that if the President accepts Onnoghen’s compulsory retirement, he has to subject it to a two-thirds consent of the Senate in line with Section 292 of the 1999 Constitution.

    “The alternative is to allow the process to drag in the Senate and the fate of Onnoghen will hang in the balance. “Definitely, the Buhari administration will not send its decision to the 8th Senate; it will only leave it for the 9th Senate to decide in June.”

    But a judicial officer who is conversant with the case said: “Onnoghen’s resignation is an afterthought, because he was given the same window when a delegation of the NBA met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on his fate.

    “It was decided at the meeting that some senior members of the bar should sell the resignation idea to him. Unfortunately, some lawyers persuaded him not to resign without knowing that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has more dossiers on him.

    “Going by precedent, NJC decision has more pre-eminence before President Buhari than an emergency resignation.

    “Now, the President has two letters on his table including the one from the NJC and the other, which is a subterfuge ploy, from Onnoghen.”

    BMO, CHRICED call for Onnoghen’s dismissal

    But the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) and the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) yesterday demanded tough sanctions against the embattled former CJN.

    In a statement signed by Niyi Akinsiju and Cassidy Madueke, its Coordinator and Secretary respectively, the BMO said the failure of Justice Onnoghen to declare his assets and thus breaching the Code of Conduct expected from judicial officers, among several other malfeasances and breach of the Money Laundering Act, are too grave to be treated with kids gloves.

    It noted that the offences that are being prosecuted and that have been petitioned against Justice Onnoghen have tainted the sanctity of the judiciary and are not matters to be played with or treated with levity.

    “Justice Walter Onnoghen is alleged to have outrightly failed to declare some of his assets. In fact, he declared only salary accounts but failed to declare accounts where he had funds that were far above his legitimate earnings as a public officer.

    “There is also no evidence that he ever declared his assets since his appointment as a judicial officer from 1989 up until 2016. This is an outright THE NATION ISATURDAY I APRIL 6 I 20192 •Continued on breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers under the 1999 Constitution, and is the least expected from a man who sat at the pinnacle of Nigeria’s judiciary, and should ordinarily be the one to mete out punishments to others who commit such breaches.

    “The ‘Chief Justice of Nigeria’ is also alleged to have had money that he could not reasonably explain the source, but which were lodged in various accounts operated by him. He had over $1.7 million in his dollar accounts, which he conspicuously never declared.”

    According to the group, the alleged receipt by the Justice Onnoghen of pecuniary gifts from various lawyers who had cases in his court breached the Rules of Judicial Conduct which outrightly prohibits judges from receiving pecuniary gifts from lawyers who had cases before them.

    “Justice Onnoghen received several gifts, ranging from a luxury car worth N7 million to a deposit of $30,000 from lawyers who had cases before him,” they said.

    They criticised Justice Onnoghen for maintaining suspicious relationships with lawyers who had serious cases in his court, noting that such conducts created perceptions of bias which is against the Rules of Judicial Conduct.

    The group noted that Justice Onnoghen failed to maintain the minimum standard of decorum expected from judicial officers, saying “the many infractions of Justice Walter Onnoghen are so grave, they have fouled the temple of Justice.

    “It is even most unfortunate that this man was sitting in the highest judicial office of the land. He has embarrassed the legal profession and brought shame and disdain to the judiciary.

    “We must not treat this matter with kid gloves. We expect the toughest sanctions to be meted out to him. What Justice Onnoghen has done does not deserve mercy but serious punitive and corrective sanctions that must send a clear message to other members of the Bench, while assuring Nigerians that the judiciary still remains the last hope for the common and even uncommon man.”

    CHRICED, on its part, recommended summary dismissal of Onnoghen to send a clear message that the law is no respecter of anyone.

    The body faulted the NJC for recommending compulsory retirement for Onnoghen, saying it was strange that the Council would propose a soft landing for the suspended CJN even after it had established that funds running into millions in foreign currencies were traced to his bank accounts.

    REad also: Onnoghen: The man, the judge, the end

    It said potential investors and partners of Nigeria are closely watching to see if the judiciary would rise up to the occasion by using the Onnoghen case as a litmus test to demonstrate readiness to address the rot in the system.

    It demanded summary dismissal of Onnoghen to send a clear message to the public that the action taken against Onnoghen by the Federal Government was meant to clean the Augean stable in the judicial arm of government.

    CHRICED made its position known in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi.

    The statement said: “The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) is seriously concerned about reports making indicating that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has recommended that President Muhammadu Buhari should compulsorily retire suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, with full benefits and privileges.

    ‘For us, it is curious that the NJC is making this kind of recommendation, despite establishing a clear case of judicial misconduct and unbridled corruption against the suspended CJN.

    ‘As the organisation which spearheaded the efforts of credible civil society organisations (CSOs) to investigate and report Onnoghen’s asset declaration infractions to the NJC, CHRICED finds it strange that the Council is proposing a soft landing for the suspended CJN even after it has established that funds running into millions in foreign currencies were traced to the bank accounts of Onnoghen, which he could not convincingly explain how he came about such huge amounts that were far above his legitimate income as a judicial officer.

    “In the course of the hearing at the NJC, it was also established through extensive documentary evidence, and by the admission of the suspended CJN himself, that he breached the Code of Conduct for public officers by his failure to declare his assets as required by law.

    “With these facts in mind, it is our considered position that the NJC is working towards rewarding the breaking of laws, financial impunity and judicial corruption by making this kind of recommendation.

    “The proposed steps give the impression that the judiciary as an institution is not prepared to clean up its act in the face of the deep rooted problem of corruption.

    “CHRICED therefore calls on the President not to accept the NJC recommendation, which would further embolden misconduct in the judiciary.

    “Given the weight of the infraction committed, and as admitted by the CJN, the kind of punishment which would serve as deterrent to other judicial officers is nothing less than summary dismissal of Onnoghen. This would send a clear message to the public that the action taken against Onnoghen by the Federal Government is to clean the Augean stable in the judicial arm.

    “For the umpteenth time, CHRICED deems it necessary to remind the NJC and all other institutions connected with this case that the whole world, including potential investors and partners of Nigeria, are closely watching to see if the judiciary would rise up to the occasion by using the Onnoghen case as a litmus test to demonstrate readiness to address the rot in the system.

    “If the soft landing being recommended is allowed to stand, then the impression would have been further created that the rule of law, justice and accountability have no place in Nigeria’s judicial system.

    “Such precedence would also damage public confidence in the anti-corruption drive, especially as it would fuel the narrative of a separate kind of justice for the rich and powerful, while there is another kind of justice for the poor and less-connected citizens.

    “Finally, CHRICED hopes that in taking a final decision on this case, the President would be guided by clear provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which unambiguously mandates in Section 15(5) that: ‘The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’.

    “Only a faithful application of the laws of the land would guarantee a just and fair closure of the Onnoghen matter.”

  • Execution of Nigerian: We followed legal procedure, says Saudi

    The Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia yesterday said it followed all legal and judicial procedures before implementing the death sentence on a Nigerian woman, Kudirat Adesola Afolabi.

    It also clarified that the executed lady was accorded every legal right before the death sentence was carried out on her.

    It said all accused persons subjected to the legal process in Saudi courts of law are allowed access to lawyers to litigate for them.

    The embassy made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja against the backdrop of protest by the Federal Government on the execution of the woman.

    The statement said: “With reference to the statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, as published on the cover page of “The Nation” newspaper of 3/4/2019, titled “Fed Govt kicks as Saudi Arabia executes Nigerian,” the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Abuja, clarifies as follows:

    “The embassy affirms that all legal and judicial procedures were followed regarding the accused person and she was accorded every legal right before the death sentence was carried out on her.

    “All accused persons subjected to the legal process in Saudi courts of law are allowed access to lawyers to litigate on their behalf, and the kingdom avails itself the responsibility to provide lawyers for any persons that have no financial ability to do so.

    “All convicted persons on whom the death penalty has been carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have gone through trials characterized by the legal guarantee of justice to their cases because the kingdom’s judicial system is established on objectivity and is dependent, in terms of its rules and regulations, on the Islamic Law, which has always restored rights to their owners and done justice to the victims. This is what the kingdom has always affirmed.”

    The embassy insisted that its judicial system was always painstaking.

    REad also: Drug trafficking: Another Nigerian arrested in Saudi Arabia — Presidential aide

    It also said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was always in consultation with foreign embassies and consulates in the kingdom, of which are the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate-General in Jeddah

    The statement added: “The death sentence is only carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after all proofs and legal evidence have been exhausted regarding the accused, and the process goes through various legal stages until the allegations against the detained persons have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is always in consultation with foreign embassies and consulates in the kingdom, of which are the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah, and it provides them with all facilitations and information and allows their staff to visit their nationals that are detained vis-à-vis a variety of  charges  as are related to the different stages of their detention and prosecution, and this is allowed every time of their request through normal channels.

    “It is well-known for all those interested in travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the penalty for drug trafficking is the death sentence and the said sentence is applied on all persons convicted without any exceptions, as long as the evidence is established against them, and this is conveyed to every person prior to his trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not neglect the enforcement of penalties in terms of matters of drug trafficking and is determined to apply the law on any person against whom evidence is established in order to combat drug trafficking and protect its citizens from this dangerous menace.”

  • Bandits kill 50 civilian JTF members, others in Zamfara

    No fewer than 50 persons, including members of the Civilian Joint Task Force(CJTF) have been killed in a fresh raid by bandits in Zamfara State.

    Speaker of the State House Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, said yesterday that the  CJTF had confronted the bandits in Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

    Rikiji who was on a condolence visit to Kaura Namoda emirate decried the worsening security situation in the state.

    “We were told that the members of Civilian JTF had mobilised people from Sakajiki community in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area and confronted the bandits in the forest which led to the killing of over 50 persons including members of CJTF,” he said.

    Rikiji, who is the Chairman of the State Government Relief and Damage Assessment Committee, described the act of the CJTF as unprofessional, saying “confronting the bandits is not the duty of CJTF members.

    “Their duty is to support security personnel to carryout operations not to lead operations; only security agents have the right to organise operation to confront bandits,” he added.

    He urged traditional rulers in the state to caution CJTF members in their respective domain to avoid taking laws into their hands.

    Read also: Zamafara: APC insist it will present candidates for 2019 elections

    “This is the directive from governor Abdul’aziz Yari that CJTF members should not confront bandits again; let them cooperate with the security personnel.

    “We have already received the list of the number of the deceased and other affected victims from the local government Chairman aimed at assisting them.

    “The state government would provide assistance to the families of the deceased and other victims of the incident very soon,” he added.

    Responding, the emir of Kaura Namoda, Alhaji Muhammad Asha, thanked the state government for the gesture and assured of his palace’s continued support and cooperation with government to address the problem.

    He said the emirate had embarked on special prayers to seek Allah’s intervention over the security challenges in the state.

    “We have already mobilised our Imams of Jumu’at Mosque and Ulamas to offer special prayers in this regard during Jumu’at prayers,” the emir said.

    The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi, thanked the state government for the assistance to the victims.

  • OUTRAGE AS HOODLUMS KILL LUTH DOCTOR 24 HOURS AFTER GRADUATION

    Tempers rose and tears flowed freely yesterday following the death of a fresh medical doctor, barely 24 hours after graduating from the University of Lagos. He was stabbed on Thursday by suspected hoodlums but gave up the ghost  yesterday.

    The victim, Dr Stephen Urueye, was a house officer at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH).

    Two suspects have already been arrested by the police in connection with the murder.

    Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), who described those arrested as “hoodlums,” said they were arrested at the spot where the late Urueye was stabbed.

    Urueye was among the 8,000 students who graduated at the 50th convocation ceremonies of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Wednesday.

    According to his colleagues at LUTH,he was the only child of his mother, who is a widow.

    Urueye, the house officers said, just got an alert of his first salary as house officer the day he was stabbed by the robbers.

    The Nation learnt that he was stabbed near the teaching hospital’s gate, Idi-Araba, Mushin, while returning to LUTH by armed robbers, who wanted to dispossess him of his valuables.

    With blood gushing out from his thigh, he ran into the LUTH compound where he was taken to the Accident and Emergency Centre (A&E).

    He was later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

    There, his fellow house officers and senior doctors battled all through the night to save him.

    Their efforts proved futile when he gave up the ghost around 3am yesterday.

    The late Urueye’s remains, The Nation learnt, have been deposited at the mortuary.

    Emotions ran high in LUTH, Idi-Araba, yesterday as soon as news of his death broke; his colleagues momentarily protested his death.

    Read also: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: exercise patience, FRSC urges motorists

    The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions calling for justice for the victim.

    According to them, Idi-Araba has been overtaken by armed thugs.

    They called on the government and security agencies to beef up security in the area.

    Some of his colleagues and other Nigerians yesterday took to Twitter to lament Urueye’s murder and also seek justice for him with the hashtag #JusticeForStephen.

    The protesters lamented that they have complained severally to the management of the hospital as regards incessant attacks of fellow students in Idi-Araba by armed hoodlums.

    A 500-level Nursing student at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), Harrison Udeh, said Urueye was stabbed around 9pm on Thursday.

    Udeh said the late Urueye “was outside between 8 and 9pm along the Canal near LUTH gate. Apparently, he was assailed by robbers. I think there was a struggle and he was stabbed by the robbers at the Femoral Artery  (Femoral Artery is a large artery in the thigh and the main arterial supply to the thigh and leg. It enters the thigh from behind the inguinal ligament as the continuation of the external iliac artery.) That led to bleeding and he had to run to the gate and he was taken to the teaching hospital. His (Urueye’s) classmates with other doctors (because his classmates are class officials too) attended to him. They tried PR (Preliminary Restoration) for three hours but at the end of the day, we lost him. It was sad. He gave up between 3am and 4am. . Actually, 3:43am was the time we were given by his classmates as the time of passage.”

    The protest, he said, was to draw the attention of the management to the insecurity in the area.

    “This morning (yesterday), we all decided that something had to be done because people have complained about being robbed along the road. Students have been beaten along this road and it has been happening frequently. The Chief Security Officer for LUTH said reports have been made to the Itire Police Station. There are patrols along the area but the problem with the patrol is that the hoodlums or the robbers can actually watch out for when the patrol passes and do whatever they wanted to do after the patrol has passed. So, it is not an effective way of curbing the robbery incidents. They’re supposed to have a police vehicle stationed along the route because it is a hot spot for robberies,” he said.

    DSP Elkana said the two suspects were arrested immediately after the matter was reported to the police.

    “They are hoodlums. The incident happened yesterday (Thursday) and we got their report yesterday. He (The late Urueye) left the school, he was going with his friends to somewhere. He was attacked by some hoodlums around the lagoon. They snatched his phone and stabbed him. Then, he subsequently died in the hospital while receiving treatment,” he said.

    The late Urueye’s colleagues and students held a Candle Light for him last night with a call on the government to bring the perpetrators to book.

    They equally called on the management of LUTH and UNILAG to ensure adequate security for the students and the doctors.

  • Osinbajo meets Blair in Aso Villa

    The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday met behind closed doors with the former United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The closed-door meeting was described as ‘private’.

    At the end of the meeting, there was no press interview.

    There was also no official statement issued concerning the meeting at the time of filing this report.

    Blair was the UK Prime Minister between 1997 and 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party between 1994 and 2007.

  • 2019 election: Tribunal orders service of another petition on Buhari

    The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) has ordered that President Muhammadu Buhari be served a petition challenging his victory, through the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A three-man panel of the tribunal, led by Justice Abdu Aboki, gave the order yesterday in a ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and its presidential candidate, Pastor Aminchi Habu.

    The tribunal ordered that copies of all the processes filed by the petitioners be served on President Buhari through the APC’s National Legal Adviser at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

    Petitioners’ lawyer, Aliyu Lemu, while arguing the motion, told the tribunal that the bailiff had problem serving President Buhari in his office.

    Read also: Tribunal orders PDM to serve Buhari petition through APC

    He said it was necessary that the President, who is listed as the second respondent, be served through substituted means so that their petition could be heard within the stipulated 180 days.

    The petitioners are, in the petition, praying the tribunal to invalidate the 2019 presidential election.