The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has discharged and acquitted former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, of corruption charges that led to his unprecedented removal from office in 2019. The landmark ruling, handed down on Monday, brings closure to a case that ignited a firestorm in Nigeria's legal and political spheres, marking an extraordinary victory for the embattled former CJN.
The ex-CJN's removal was one of the most controversial episodes in recent Nigerian history. Then-President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of Onnoghen on January 25, 2019, just weeks before the presidential election, was widely criticized, with legal experts and human rights activists labeling it a “judicial coup.” Onnoghen was ousted merely hours after he announced his intention to inaugurate judges to oversee election tribunals—a move seen by many as a threat to the political establishment.
In swift action that shocked the nation, Buhari appointed Justice Tanko Muhammad as the new CJN. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the suspension as an attack on judicial independence, igniting protests and intense scrutiny both domestically and internationally. The ouster of Onnoghen, a respected figure in Nigeria’s judiciary, shook public confidence in the legal system and raised concerns over the government's influence over the judiciary.
Subsequently, Onnoghen faced a six-count corruption charge at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), with accusations of false declaration of assets. In April 2019, the CCT found him guilty, sealing his fall from grace and triggering the freezing of his bank accounts and the seizure of his assets.
Now, almost six years later, a three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Mohammed Bello, has acquitted Onnoghen, following a settlement agreement reached between him and the Federal Government. The Court ruled in favor of quashing all charges, thereby restoring Onnoghen’s reputation and rights. The judgment mandates the immediate unfreezing of Onnoghen’s accounts at Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, reinstating access to his assets.
This stunning reversal is the result of efforts led by current President Bola Tinubu, who, through the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, pushed for the appeals to be halted and the charges to be dropped. As part of the terms of the settlement dated October 24, the Federal Government formally agreed to rescind all actions taken against Onnoghen.
