Onnoghen’s suspension: Jigawa NBA defies court boycott order

The Jigawa branch of the Nigerian Bar Association has defied the order of its national body calling on members to boycott courts for two days in protest over the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of Onnoghen, who is the Chief Judge of the Federation followed a recommendation of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
The suspension order was executed to enable the tribunal hear and determine allegations of false asset declarations levelled against Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Bureau.
But the association, in a statement signed by its chairman, Bashir Hussaini, said the state chapter would not participate in the nationwide court boycott.
It said: “The NBA, Dutse branch, expresses its deep concern over the suspension of Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“However, the branch will not embark on any strike or boycott of our proceeding.”
The association described the suspension as “trying time” for the legal profession, and called on the parties to seek redress through legal means.
It advised: “The situation is a trying time for the legal profession.
“The parties should seek redress through legal means by appealing against the order of the tribunal for the suspension of the CJN, instead of boycotting courts that will be detrimental to the parties.”