The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Nkanu
Onnoghen, has reacted to a news report alleging that he was under investigation
by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for purported
corruption, stating that he was unaware that he was being investigated by the
anti-graft agency.
He equally assured the public that he had nothing to hide
and was open to any investigation.
The CJN’s statement Wednesday came on the heels of a
similar rebuttal by the EFCC, stating that it was not investigating some high
profile Nigerians, including Justice Onnoghen, the former Coordinating Minister
for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Minister
of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, among others.
The news report had published a list of persons
comprising former and serving government officials and judicial officers said
to be under investigation for alleged corruption.
It said the list had been recently sent by the anti-graft
agency to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr.
Abubakar Malami (SAN).
However, the CJN’s reaction, which was contained in a
statement by his media aide, Awassam Bassey, said Justice Onnoghen would not be
deterred by the report in his effort to carry out the necessary reforms in the
judiciary.
The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a
media report quoting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as
probing the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu
Onnoghen for yet-to-be disclosed reasons.
“The report in the media mentioned the reason for the
investigation as ‘intelligence’, which for now we take to be abstract.
“However, the Hon. CJN wishes to use this medium to state
that this is the first time he is being made aware of any allegations or
intelligence against him, nor has he been invited or called upon to offer any
explanation for any impropriety.
“However, the Hon. CJN wishes to assure the public that
he has nothing to hide and is open to investigation.”
Awassam stated further that the CJN as a committed patriot
who has spent his adult life in the temple of justice, was ready to pay the
required price to make the nation a better place.
He said: “The commitment of the Hon. CJN in the efforts
of the current administration to rid the country of corrupt practices is
unwavering and he will stop at nothing to see a new dawn in Nigeria’s
judiciary.
“He will also not be distracted from his avowed
reformative efforts to make the Nigerian judiciary a beacon of well-rounded
justices who the entire citizenry will be proud of.”
Awassam asked Nigerians to keep faith and trust in the
present administration’s fight against corruption and assured them that the CJN
was doing his best to reform the judiciary.
Also, EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said Wednesday in
Abuja that there was no iota of truth in the said report.
He said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission has been drawn to a story indicating that the Chief Justice
of Nigeria, Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen, former Minister of Finance and Coordinating
Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Solid Minerals
Development, Kayode Fayemi, and Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High
Court, among others, were under investigation by the commission.
“It is important to state that this report did not
emanate from the EFCC and the allusion to ‘an EFCC source’ is diversionary and
mischievous.
“For the avoidance of doubt, cases under investigation
communicated to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation by the
commission are classified information and it is troubling how such would be
leaked to the media.
“The mastermind of this leak is out to create
disaffection between the commission and particularly the judiciary.
“The commission wishes to state categorically that it is
currently not investigating Justices Onnoghen and Kafarati.
“When Justice Onnoghen was being considered for his
present position, the commission received some petitions which were
investigated and found to be without merit and discarded.
“Indeed, much damage has been done to the commission’s
investigation activities by this leak especially, as some of the cases
mentioned are still at preliminary stages of the investigation.”
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