By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA—National Judicial Council, NJC, yesterday, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for allowing the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to voluntarily retire from office, despite his indictment by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

Justice Walter Onnoghen and President Buhari

The legal body, in a statement by its Director of Information, Mr. Soji Oye, noted that the decision in favour of Onnoghen was in line with the recommendation it forwarded to President Buhari on April 3.

It said: “The National Judicial Council held an emergency meeting today (yesterday) to take formal note of the acceptance of the voluntary retirement of Justice Onnoghen, as Chief Justice of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The President’s acceptance of the retirement is in line with council’s recommendation to the President on April 3, 2019.

“Council at the end of its deliberations, thanked the President for the acceptance which was in the best interest of Nigeria.”

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It will be recalled that the NJC, which is the organ of the judiciary that has the statutory mandate to discipline erring judicial officers, had at the end of its investigation into allegations against the former CJN, declined to make its decision and recommendations public.

The Council merely indicated that it had taken a position and conveyed same to the Presidency for consideration, saying its decision to shroud its recommendations in secrecy, was in view of the sensitivity of the office affected.

The recommendations were made after the body considered the report of a five-man committee it constituted to investigate allegations of misconduct that were levelled against both the ex-CJN and the current Acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad.

However, the NJC, said it decided to refrain from considering the allegation that Justice Onnoghen failed to declare his assets, saying it would amount to subjudice since the matter was still pending before the CCT at that time.