Breaking: Boycott all Nigerian courts for 2 days - NBA orders all lawyers in the country

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Monday, January 28, ordered all lawyers in Nigeria boycott the courts across the nation for two days between Tuesday, January 29, and Wednesday, January 30, to protest the crisis in the judiciary.

The action, according to the NBA, is protest what it called the alleged constitutional infractions in the suspension of Walter Onnoghen as Chief Justice of Nigeria.

Femi Okebukola, NPFL referee, dies in a ghastly motor accidents

Femi Okebukola, a referee who officiated the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Week 4 fixture between El-Kanemi vs Nasarawa, on Thursday, January 24, is reported dead.

Shehu Dikko, the League Management Company (LMC) boss, confirmed Okebukola died in a ghastly motor accident while returning to his in Ibadan from Maiduguri.

Dikko, in a statement also reached out to Sports Journalist, Jide Fashikun who died over the weekend.

“We mourn the death of the two gentlemen and commiserate with their families, the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) and Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on this untimely deaths,” the statement read in part.

Meanwhile, the LMC have directed a-minute silence in honour of honour of the deceased before the commencement of matches’ midweek for their contribution to the development of the NPFL through their respective disciplines.

“In honour of the departed Referee and Journalist, all players and Referees are to wear black armband during this Wednesday fixtures of NPFL Match Day 6,” the LMC chairman directed.

Interestingly, Okebukola handled the Match Day 4 fixture between El-Kanemi Warriors and Nasarawa United on Thursday, January 24 in Maiduguri.

ln a related news Nigerian sports family have been thrown into mourning following the death of the publisher of Gong News, Jide Fashikun.

Though, the reason for his death is yet to be known but the news was confirmed by one of his close friends Nneka Ikem Anibeze on Facebook.

According to Nneka, Jide last posted a story on his online platform on January 19. 

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FG more Facts on Justice Onnoghen's suspension

The federal government has given more reasons why the immediate past chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, was suspended.

The government said the decision to suspend Onnoghen was due to the ex-CJN's abuse of judicial processes.

The government's position was made known in Abuja by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Monday, January 28.

Alhaji Mohammed said: ''This whole issue is about the country's highest judicial officer, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, being accused of a breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, and the legal and moral conundrum surrounding that.

''It is about the suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the suspended CJN's personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law.

''It is about the Hon. Justice Onnoghen himself admitting to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, calling it a ‘mistake.’

'''And it is about him refusing to take responsibility, instead opting to put the entire judiciary on trial.

''Please remember that Justice Onnoghen has been given the opportunity of fair hearing, but he has been abusing his position and the judicial process by filing frivolous applications and even dodging service of process.''

The minister argued that the allegations against Justice Onnoghen go beyond professional misconduct.

He opined that it is the alleged breach of the code of conduct for public officers, stressing that only the CCT is statutorily empowered to deal with the case.

Mohammed went on to say the CCT was acting within its powers in ordering the suspension of Justice Onnoghen, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari was right in carrying out the order.

He said: ''The suspension of Justice Onnoghen is a consequence of his breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers and has nothing to do with the forthcoming elections, neither does it signify the onset of dictatorship or tyranny as some have insinuated.

''It amounts to irresponsible extrapolation to say that the suspension of Justice Onnoghen is the onset of dictatorship.

''Those who want to protest against the suspension of the CJN should feel free to exercise their rights, within the limits of the law."

A Lagos lawmaker, Segun Olulade, on Monday, January 28, said that the suspension of the chief justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, was a step closer to democratic justice and in the best interest of Nigerians.

Olulade, a member representing Epe constituency II in the Lagos state House of Assembly, said this in a statement he issued in Lagos.

Onnoghen, charged before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on January 14, with offences bordering on non-declaration of assets, was suspended on Friday, January 25.

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