The Federal Government has ordered some accounts belonging to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, to be frozen pending the determination of the case filed against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
Mr. Onnoghen was dragged before the CCT by the government over alleged non-declaration of assets.
Just as the case came up for hearing on Monday, an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court and the National Industrial Court issued separate orders, respectively, to stop the trial.
A total of 45 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) among other lawyers in the country appeared in court to defend the CJN before the case adjourned.
But The NEXT EDITION has obtained exclusively, a letter authorising the accounts of the CJN to be blocked.
The letter dated January 14, was addressed to the Director, Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) Abuja, and signed by one Abiodun Aikomo on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation.
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It was also received, stamped and signed at the NFIU‘s registry on January 14.
The letter was titled Re: Request for Freezing of Bank Accounts Subject to Investigation and Prosecution Pursuant to Presidential Executive Order No. 6 of 5th July 2018, on the Preservation of Assets Connected with Corruption.
“I am directed by Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to request that you, pursuant to the Presidential Executive Order 6 of 2018, forthwith restrict normal banking operations on certain accounts belonging to Hon. Justices Walter Onnoghen pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT/ABJ/1/19 Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Hon Justice Onnoghen Nkanu,” the letter read in part.
It listed five accounts to be frozen.
