Security men chase staff off Onnoghen’s office

Security men, including police personnel yesterday chased out staff working in the office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The sprawling office, with adjourning offices, occupied by CJN’s support staff, located at towards the back of the Supreme Court complex, was cleared early yesterday by security men.

The suspended CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen was not in the office when the incident happened.

A source told The Nation that policemen arrived the CJN wing in the building around 7am and ordered every to leave.

The source claimed the move was intended to prevent the suspended CJN from further accessing his office.

“They came around 7am and ordered everyone to leave. They did not tell us why. We were not able to return to our office again until we closed yesterday,” the source said.

Meanwhile the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) yesterday adjourned indefinitely, proceedings in the case against Onnoghen.

Tribunal Chairman Danladi Umar announced the adjournment. He said the tribunal wishes to await the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, in a motion for stay of proceedings filed by the CJN and on which arguments were taken on January 24 this year.

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Umar said the adjournment was in obedience of the interim order of stay of proceedings made on January 24 by the Court of Appeal.

The tribunal commenced sitting at 11am, as against the usual practice where the tribunal sits by 10am.

Also yesterday, the Supreme Court resumed normal duties without signs betraying the recent unceremonious  change in its leadership

The court opened for business at its usual time yesterday, while the court’s digital cause list was switched on at a little after 8 am, displayed the about 11 cases scheduled for hearing for the day.

At exactly 9.13am, proceedings commenced in Court One of the Supreme Court, when a five-man panel, led by the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad began sitiing.

The panel, which included Justices Mary  Peter-Odili, Amiru Sanusi, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun and Paul Galinje conducted proceedings on cases.