By Hussaini Ibrahim
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education has cautioned against alleged attempts to pressure the Presidency to interfere in the ongoing investigation of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Justice John Tsoho.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the group expressed concern over reports that political and institutional actors were lobbying Bola Ahmed Tinubu to halt or delay the probe by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
According to CHRICED, the bureau is investigating allegations that the judge failed to declare certain assets as required by law.
“These developments raise serious red flags about the potential for undue interference in a process that must remain strictly governed by law, transparency and due process,” the organisation said.
The group stressed that the independence of anti-corruption and accountability institutions must be protected.
“Any attempt—direct or indirect—to obstruct the lawful work of the Code of Conduct Bureau would undermine the rule of law and further erode public trust in the nation’s governance architecture,” it added.
CHRICED recalled that failure to declare assets had previously led to the removal of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, in 2019.
The organisation urged the President to resist any pressure to interfere in the matter and allow the investigation to proceed in accordance with the law.
It also called on the National Judicial Council to ensure that the issue is handled in a manner that strengthens public confidence in the judiciary.
The statement was signed by the Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi.
