The immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, has been barred from travelling out of the country by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Saturday PUNCH reports that the move may be part of a fresh probe into Onnoghen’s affairs. Onnoghen was convicted for not declaring his assets by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in April.

An internal report issued by the Nigeria Immigration Service, which was read out to our correspondent by a top officer, stated that Onnoghen, his wife and daughter were attempting to travel to Accra, Ghana when they were accosted by immigration officers.

The report stated, “On November 11, 2019, retired Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, was attempting to travel to Accra, Ghana. He was in company with his wife, Nkoyo, and daughter.

“His passport, with number A50445233, was flagged because Justice Onnoghen’s name was on the watch list. The passport is currently in custody of the NIS.”

The senior officer told Saturday PUNCH that the passport seized from Onnoghen was not a diplomatic passport but the ordinary green passport.

The immigration officer told our correspondent that the directive to seize Onnoghen’s passport came from the Presidency. “Justice Onnoghen will have to meet with the Presidency to know why his passport was seized. We are only following instructions,” the officer said.

Saturday PUNCH was informed by a top judicial officer that Onnoghen’s decision to challenge his conviction by the CCT might have angered the retired Muhammadu Buhari regime.

The Appeal Court had condemned the Buhari regime for the manner in which the trial of Onnoghen was conducted. In a judgment by the three-man bench led by Justice Stephen Adah, it was unanimously ruled that the CCT’s ex parte order breached the ex-CJN’s right to a fair hearing.

While reading the lead judgment, Justice Adah stated that the proceedings of the CCT shouldn’t have been conducted “in a shady or clandestine manoeuvre” the way the ex parte order was obtained by the prosecution. However, the court said it could not upturn Onnoghen’s conviction since the trial had already taken place.

A source said, “Even though the NJC (National Judicial Council) recommended that Onnoghen should be paid his benefits in full, I can tell you that he has not been paid anything and all his allowances have stopped.

“His accounts remain frozen. It was some judges who even contributed money for him recently for medicals expenses.

“I was told that his ordeal might be connected with his decision to challenge his conviction at the Court of Appeal which the government of the day might have found embarrassing because the Court of Appeal accused them of depriving Onnoghen of a fair hearing.”

Onnoghen, who was CJN from March 1, 2017 to April 5, 2019, was suspended by Buhari in January, a few weeks to the presidential election, on allegations that he failed to declare five bank accounts in his asset declaration form at the Code of Conduct Bureau.

Buhari hinged his decision to suspend Onnoghen on an ex parte order by the CCT Chairman, Dannladi Umar.

Onnoghen’s many attempts to stop his trial were futile.

He also faced a mini-trial at the NJC where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission presented evidence against him.

The NJC subsequently recommended his retirement with full benefits and Onnoghen immediately complied and tendered his resignation before Buhari on April 5.

However, his resignation letter was not acknowledged by the buhari regime until his conviction by the CCT on May 28.

The CCT ordered Onnoghen’s sacking and barred him from holding public office for 10 years.

It also ordered that the sums of money in different currencies found in his Standard Chartered Bank accounts, a total of N46m, be forfeited to the Buhari regime.

It was reported by an online news outlet, The Cable, that a retired CJN is entitled to cash and other perks worth N2.5bn.

As part of the package for a retired chief justice, a house will be built for him in Abuja with a nine-digit sum for furnishing — in addition to a severance gratuity that is 300 per cent of his annual basic salary of N3,363,972.50, as well as pension for life.

Eteka1:
Punch is becoming ridiculous in its feeble attempt to demonize the President.

Eteka1:
Punch is becoming ridiculous in its feeble attempt to demonize the President.

id911:
Whatever Major General Mohammadu Buhari likes, he should do to Ex-Chief Justice Onnoghen because most Southern Leaders are fools. If Onnoghen as Chief Judge has seen Buhari's file on his table, he would have rule in favor of Buhari. I don't understand why Southerners asslick Northerners who don't bring anything to the Federal purse. We don't need them to survive but rather they are the ones that need us to survive.

Imagine all the taxes collected in Lagos and the Oil and Gas royalties in the Niger Delta being use to develop only SW, SE and Niger Delta, what do you think will happen to our growth and development here down south?

Since EFCC was established by OBJ, no Southerner has ever become EFCC Chairman and no Northern Muslim Ex-Governor or influential looter has ever been convicted, only Southerners and Northern Minority Christians are convicted. Most of these so-called educated and enlightened Southerners need to have their heads examined

Racoon:

Same PUNCH was one of the SW media house that was involved in marketing this failure in 2014 esp.with exaggeration of the activities of BH.
Meanwhile, you don't need the reportage of PUNCH newspaper to know the irreparable damage the numerous impunity,illegalities and lawlessness of the Buhari government have done to our nation.

Yes-Onneghen may be corrupt but why did the CCB released his asset declearation forms when the same CCB gave silly reasons why the ones for Maj.Gen.Buhari(Rtd), Fashola, Amaechi & other APC big crooks could not be release for public consumption?

If the government wants to fight corruption, let it be holistic with no sacred cows.Bunch of nauseating asslickers & hypocrites.

Racoon:
[s][/s]
Same PUNCH was one of the SW media house that was involved in marketing this failure in 2014 esp.with exaggeration of the activities of BH.
Meanwhile, you don't need the reportage of PUNCH newspaper to know the irreparable damage the numerous impunity,illegalities and lawlessness of the Buhari government have done to our nation.

Yes-Onneghen may be corrupt but why did the CCB released his asset declearation forms when the same CCB gave silly reasons why the ones for Maj.Gen.Buhari(Rtd), Fashola, Amaechi & other APC big crooks could not be release for public consumption?

If the government wants to fight corruption, let it be holistic with no sacred cows.Bunch of nauseating asslickers & hypocrites.

Eteka1:
All you can do is insult anyone that doesnt share your bitter, dark, hate-driven opinion.You will get nothing out of your anti Buhari campaign. Mark my words.

Racoon:
[s]
I don't do sycophancy.So any looted on both sides of the political divide remains a criminal. The APC looters and indicted criminals are the most hypocritical.

The case of Danjuma Goje, Abdullahi Adamu, Matarkada Wammako, Musiliu Obanikoro are case study.Meanwhile, the gold standard are these shameless crooks as shown below;

Racoon:
[s][/s]Yes! I aint care any shitty thing coming from the sai baba zombie crew because I'm not a Buharideen or Buharimaniac just as you guys also never tolerate any contrary view that does not fit your narratives.I voice my opinion because I'm entitled to it with my worldview.

Onneghen is not the only big crook or thief in Nigeria but the selective hypocritical justice system of the despotic & tyrannic Maj.Gen.Buhari govt is one of its biggest undoing.He will not be in govt forever.Another govt will one day come on board & the viscious cycle will go round.Even God Almighty is a God of justice who don't discriminate.

Eteka1:
I guess Joshua Dariye, Orji Kali and some others that are being prosecuted by the EFCC are all PDP members.You actually talk like a lunatic sometimes.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has said once those who looted the nation’s treasury join its fold, all their sins will be forgiven....

id911:
Whatever Major General Mohammadu Buhari likes, he should do to Ex-Chief Justice Onnoghen because most Southern Leaders are fools. If Onnoghen as Chief Judge has seen Buhari's file on his table, he would have ruled in favor of Buhari. I don't understand why Southerners asslick Northerners who don't bring anything to the Federal purse. We don't need them to survive but rather they are the ones that need us to survive.

Imagine all the taxes collected in Lagos and the Oil and Gas royalties in the Niger Delta being use to develop only SW, SE and Niger Delta, what do you think will happen to our growth and development here down south?

Since EFCC was established by OBJ, no Southerner has ever become EFCC Chairman and no Northern Muslim Ex-Governor or influential looter has ever been convicted, only Southerners and Northern Minority Christians are convicted. Most of these so-called educated and enlightened Southerners need to have their heads examined

Racoon:

And Nigeria today is not being ruled by superlooters who have not only romanced corruption but gone ahead to simply legalized the same? What is Abba Kyari/AGF-Malami/ Bashir Magashi(Defense Minister)/Ahmed Sirika
/Godswill Akpabio etc still doing in this govt with all the numerous corruption baggage on their necks?

I don't benefit from Onneghen, Jonathan or even the tyrannt Nigeria have today as ruler but for sure I'll benefit from governance that will call government to accountability.