By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA – The Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, and its chairman, Mr. Sam Saba, have been dragged before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, over alleged failure to verify assets declared before the bureau by public office holders.

The Attorney-General of the Federation is also joined as a defendant in the suit, which was filed by Registered Trustees of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers and one Mr. Olorogun James Omeru.

The plaintiffs, in their suit, are praying the court to declare that the current practice of CCB in receiving assets declaration from public officers without a valuation report signed by a registered estate surveyor and valuer, is in contravention of Section 3(a) and (b) Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The defendants were further accused of violating Section 3(a) and (b) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, CAP C15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and Paragraph 6(d) and (e) of the First Schedule to the CCB and Tribunal Act, by not authenticating the declared assets.

ýThe plaintiffs are praying the court to, among other things, determine, “whether by virtue of the provisions of Section 2 and 15(1) of the CCB and Tribunal Act, CAP C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and Paragraph 6(d) and (e) of the First Schedule to the Act, a valuation report of the assets of public officers signed by a registered estate surveyor and valuer, is necessary for a valid assets declaration by a public officer to be received by the CCB.”