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Minister, Senior Officials Urge Tinubu To Halt Investigation Of CJ Tsoho.
Senior figures within the Nigerian government and the judiciary are reportedly pressuring Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step into the ongoing investigation of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, over allegations that he failed to fully declare his assets.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Sources familiar with the development said the push is aimed at convincing the president to influence the Code of Conduct Bureau to either discontinue or tone down its probe of the judge.
According to several insiders, those lobbying the president include a cabinet minister from the South-South region, prominent political figures from Benue State—Justice Tsoho’s home state—and influential members of the judiciary.
The sources added that the appeals have been made both directly to the president and through some of his trusted associates.
One insider who spoke with Premium Times said some stakeholders believe an early intervention from the president could prevent the situation from escalating further.
“The feeling among some stakeholders is that if the president steps in early enough, the matter may not escalate,” the source said.
The controversy has also unsettled the judiciary. The National Judicial Council, led by Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, had initially fixed an emergency meeting for March 6 to discuss the allegations against the Chief Judge.
However, the meeting was abruptly called off late on March 5.
Members of the council were reportedly not given a formal reason for the cancellation, though insiders suggested the move was meant to allow more time for quiet consultations behind the scenes.
Sources indicated that President Tinubu has yet to take a definitive stance on the matter but has promised to reflect further and hold consultations.
Meanwhile, some of his advisers are reportedly urging caution, warning that any attempt to interfere could weaken the administration’s anti-corruption image.
They argued that stepping into the investigation might expose the government to criticism from opposition groups and anti-corruption advocates.
When contacted, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said he was not aware of any pressure being placed on the president regarding the issue.
Nigeria’s Constitution provides a clear procedure for removing heads of superior courts. Under Section 292(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution, the president cannot single-handedly remove the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
Instead, such removal can only happen if the Senate of Nigeria passes a resolution backed by a two-thirds majority requesting the president to remove the judicial officer.
Legal experts say this safeguard was designed to preserve judicial independence and shield the judiciary from political interference.
The investigation stems from claims that Justice Tsoho failed to disclose several bank accounts in the asset declaration form he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on April 29, 2024.
Documents reportedly reviewed indicated that the judge did not declare three accounts held with United Bank for Africa and another account with Access Bank.
Under Nigeria’s Code of Conduct regulations, public officials are required to declare all assets, including bank accounts and the funds held in them.
If the allegations are established before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the judge could face sanctions ranging from removal from office to disqualification from holding public office for up to 10 years, along with forfeiture of any undeclared assets.
Justice Tsoho has stated that he is prepared to cooperate fully with investigators.
In a statement issued through the court’s Director of Information, Catherine Christopher, the Chief Judge said he would appear before the bureau once his lawyer, Kanu Agabi, returns to Nigeria from a medical trip abroad.
“The Honourable Chief Judge remains fully committed to cooperating with the Code of Conduct Bureau,” the statement said.
The unfolding situation has drawn comparisons to the case involving former Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen, who was convicted and removed from office in 2019 after the Code of Conduct Tribunal found him guilty of failing to declare several bank accounts.
However, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria later overturned Onnoghen’s conviction in 2024 following a settlement reached with the federal government.
An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been arrested for allegedly firing gunshots into the air during a confrontation with traders at Kubwa Market in Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The officer, identified as Onoja Samuel, reportedly arrived at the market armed with a pistol following allegations that some traders had assaulted his wife.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed the incident while addressing journalists at the command on Wednesday, Naija News reports.
Sanusi said the police received a distress call from Kubwa Market, located in the Bwari Area Council, reporting that a man was shooting into the air.
Following the report, officers attached to the Kubwa Police Division were deployed to the scene, where they arrested the suspect.
According to the police commissioner, preliminary investigations revealed that Samuel holds the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Corps (DSC) in the NSCDC.
He explained that the officer allegedly fired several shots during an argument with the traders.
“During the ensuing argument with the traders, Onoja Samuel, who is a DSC with the NSCDC, fired several shots into the air,” Sanusi said.
The police recovered a CZ pistol and 17 rounds of live 9mm ammunition from the suspect.
Sanusi added that Samuel remained in police custody and would be charged in court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The commissioner also urged personnel of other security agencies operating in the FCT to exercise restraint and notify the police divisions responsible for their areas before conducting authorised operations.
He stressed that effective coordination among security agencies was essential to preventing confrontations and maintaining peace across the territory.
Nigerian gospel singer Laolu Gbenjo has cautioned the public against spreading unverified information about the circumstances surrounding the death of his colleague, Bayonile Bolaji, popularly known as Toluwanisings.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Gbenjo’s warning comes amid growing controversy surrounding the late singer’s death and burial arrangements, with reports of disagreements among members of his family.
The gospel singer spoke on Tuesday during a night of tributes held in honour of Toluwanisings in Ibadan, Oyo State. He warned against allowing the situation to degenerate into a controversy similar to the one that followed the death of Nigerian singer Mohbad.
Describing the deceased as a devoted Christian and a genuine servant of God, Gbenjo said Toluwanisings was passionate about his faith and had a good relationship with people.
He urged the public to stop fuelling unnecessary controversy over the late singer’s death, particularly through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
“You can never see Toluwani in the midst of jobless people. He had a good heart. He was a friend to everybody. He served the Lord with all his heart. Don’t turn Toluwani into Mohbad. That madness on TikTok and Instagram must stop. If you are jobless, go and look for a job,” Gbenjo said.
Meanwhile, comedians Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, and Olamide Oladimeji, also known as Dele Omo Woli, have threatened legal action against individuals allegedly linking them to Toluwanisings’ death.
Woli Agba disclosed this in a public notice shared on his Instagram page on Sunday.
In the notice issued by their solicitors, Gemgold, the comedians warned members of the public against publishing or circulating allegations they described as false and defamatory against them.
The legal notice maintained that the allegations were baseless and intended to damage the reputations of the two entertainers.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2, 2026, for judgment in the ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other respondents.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik set the date after lawyers representing the parties adopted their respective court processes.
However, El-Rufai’s lawyer was absent when the case was initially called. The judge subsequently deemed the former governor’s filed processes adopted.
Counsel to the ICPC, Abdul Mohammed (SAN), adopted the commission’s court processes and urged the judge to dismiss the suit in its entirety.
Similarly, the lawyer representing the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Ezekiel Rimamsomte, and Maimuna Lami-Shiru, Director of Civil Litigation and Public Law, who appeared on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), adopted their respective processes and asked the court to dismiss the case.
During the proceedings, El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, arrived in court and apologised for his lateness.
When Akpan sought the court’s permission to adopt his client’s processes, Justice Abdulmalik informed him that the documents had already been deemed adopted.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until December 2, 2026, when judgment is expected to be delivered.
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