The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has given the National Judicial Council (NJC) five days ultimatum to set up a committee to investigate the allegations of breach of constitutional asset declaration requirements against suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The civil society organisation, which made this demand in an open petition signed by SERAP senior legal adviser Bamisope Adeyanju on Sunday also called on Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed to recuse himself from the process, as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
SERAP also urged the NJC to ask Justice Onnoghen to step aside from his role as Chief Justice of Nigeria pending the outcome of investigation into the allegations against him.
The organisation also demanded that after the investigation and if the allegations against Justice Onnoghen are established, the NJC should refer the case to appropriate anti-corruption bodies for prosecution.
The civil society organisations maintained that the NJC should take the recommended action within five days, failing which it will take appropriate legal action to compel the NJC to take action on the case.
LEADERSHIP/BEN