Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen GCON (born 22 December 1950[1]) is a Nigerian jurist who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 2017 to 2019.
Walter Onnoghen was born on the 22 December 1950 at Okurike Town, Biase Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State.
In 2007, Justice Onnoghen played a huge role in 2007 election which saw the Late Umaru Yar’adua as President of the federal republic of Nigeria.
[4] Onnoghen's trials started when a petition was filed by the civil rights group at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) alleging that he owns ” sundry accounts primarily funded through cash deposits made by himself up to as recently as 10 August 2016, which appear to have been run in a manner inconsistent with financial transparency and the code of conduct for public officials.”[5] The allegations are listed here.
[8] Following his absence again, President Muhammadu Buhari suspended him 26 January and appointed Tanko Ibrahim as acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.
The decision came after Onnoghen appealed the ruling of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which had found him guilty on six counts of false asset declaration and ordered his removal from office.
The appeal court's judgment, delivered by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, held that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to preside over the case without consulting the National Judicial Council (NJC).