The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has denied probing Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, as reported earlier today. Indeed, the commission expressed dismay that its secret probing of some past and present officials has been leaked to the media, therefore jeopardising investigation.

The commission was reacting to a report published by a national newspaper that also listed several high profile persons, including former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi and Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, among the people under probe.

The EFCC denied that it was the source of the leak, according to a statement by Wilson Uwujaren, its spokesman, although the agency admitted sending a list to the office of the the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), based on request. “It is important to state that this report did not emanate from the EFCC and the allusion to “an EFCC source” is diversionary and mischievous.

“For the avoidance of doubt, cases under investigation communicated to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation by the Commission are classified information and it is troubling how such would be leaked to the media. The mastermind of this leak is out to create disaffection between the Commission and, particularly, the Judiciary. The Commission wishes to state categorically that it is currently not investigating Justices Onnoghen and Kafarati.

“While Onnoghen was being considered for his present position, the Commission received some petitions which were investigated and found to be without merit and discarded. Indeed, much damage has been done to the Commission’s investigation activities by this leak especially as some of the cases mentioned are still at preliminary stages of investigation.

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, has said he has nothing to hide and was ready to submit himself for investigation on corruption related issues. Onnoghen, who assured he was committed to reforming the judiciary to enable it effectively aid the government’s anti-corruption efforts, declared that he was willing to pay any price to make the country better. The CJN spoke in a statement issued on Wednesday in reaction to a story published by The Punch newspaper that he was among those being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In the statement issued by his spokesman, Awassam Bassey, Justice Onnoghen said he has never been invited by any investigative agency and has not been told by anybody or agency that he was being investigated. The CJN said he was a committed judicial officer and ready to submit himself to investigation by any agency. Justice Onnoghen, who said he supported the government’s anti-corruption efforts, urged Nigerians to have faith in the government and support its anti-graft initiatives.

The statement reads: “The reports in the media mentioned the reason for the investigation as ‘intelligence’ which for now, we take to be abstract. However, the CJN wishes to use this medium to say that it is the first time he is being aware of any allegations or intelligence against him, neither has he been invited or called upon to offer any explanation on any impropriety.

“However, the CJN wishes to assure the public that he has nothing to hide and is open to investigation. As a committed patriot, who has spent all his adult life in the temple of justice, the CJN is ready to pay the required price to make the nation a better place. The commitment of the CJN to the efforts of the current administration to rid the country of corrupt practices is unwavering and he will stop at nothing to see a new dawn in Nigeria’s Judiciary.

“He will also not be distracted in his avowed reformative efforts to make the Nigerian judiciary a beacon of well-rounded justice which the entire citizenry will be proud of.  The public is encouraged to keep faith and trust in the present administration’s fight against corruption and be assured that the CJN is doing his best to reform the judiciary accordingly.”

Source:  NAN/The Nation