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Fears over plans to arrest CJN Onnoghen

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NJC recommends immediate compulsory retirement of Onnoghen

There were fresh concerns over the weekend about plans to arrest the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, using a bench warrant if he fails to appear again in court today, Monday.

This much was revealed by a counsel to Onnoghen who spoke with Vanguard Newspaper and nursed apprehension that the suspended CJN might not appear before the Danladi Umar-led code of conduct tribunal hearing a six-count charge of false asset declaration against him.

The concern is that if he fails to show up for trial, the federal government prosecuting team may enforce a warrant of arrest on him.

The senior lawyer, who pleaded anonymity, maintained that the motion was already prepared and ready to be moved today, should Justice Onnoghen fail to appear before the CCT for his trial.

Recall that the suspended CJN refused to appear before the CCT on two occasions; first on January 14 on the premise that the summon was not personally served on him and secondly on January 21 arguing that the CCT was bereft of the requisite jurisdiction to try him.

Read also: Wike asks Christians to pray against Buhari’s ‘evil plot’ to remove 200 ‘upright judges’ like Onnoghen

However, he has been scheduled today for arraignment while the federal government had threatened to apply for a bench warrant to be issued against the suspended CJN if he fails to appear.

Alhaji Aliyu Umar had told the tribunal that “We have the right under Paragraph 6(6) of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Practice Direction to apply for warrant of arrest.”

Meanwhile, the Justice Abdul Aboki-led three-man panel of Justice of the Court of Appeal is set to hear Onnoghen’s appeal.

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