Nigeria's Federal High Court Chief Judge, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, is currently under intense scrutiny following an invitation from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to address serious allegations of false asset declaration. Despite being outside Nigeria for medical reasons, Justice Tsoho, through the Federal High Court, has affirmed his full commitment to cooperating with the Bureau's investigation. He has formally engaged prominent legal counsel, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi (SAN), to represent him in this significant matter.

The specific allegations against Justice Tsoho originate from an asset declaration form he submitted to the CCB on April 29, 2024. Reports indicate that he allegedly failed to declare at least three United Bank for Africa (UBA) accounts and one Access Bank account held in his name. Such omissions, if substantiated, would constitute a direct violation of Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. This Act unequivocally mandates all public officers to comprehensively declare all their assets, liabilities, and accounts, including any domiciliary accounts. The Act further stipulates severe potential sanctions for false or incomplete declarations, which can range from removal from office, disqualification from holding any public office for up to ten years, to the forfeiture of any improperly declared assets.

The Federal High Court, in an official statement issued by its Director of Information, Dr. Catherine Oby Christopher, clarified Justice Tsoho's unwavering commitment to complying with the CCB's invitation. The statement explicitly confirmed that his legal representative, Kanu Agabi, is prepared and ready to accompany the Chief Judge to the Bureau upon his return to Nigeria. For scheduling and logistical planning purposes, the CCB has been duly informed that any date within the week commencing Monday, March 16, 2026, would be convenient for both Justice Tsoho and his counsel. The court's statement strongly emphasized the Chief Judge's dedication to upholding due process, transparency, and the rule of law throughout this entire investigative process.

However, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has vociferously condemned the CCB's reported summons, viewing it as a profound constitutional overreach and a breach of judicial independence. In a letter dated March 2, 2026, addressed to the CCB Chairman, the NBA forcefully argued that the 1999 Constitution grants exclusive authority to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate and discipline serving judicial officers. The association highlighted the Supreme Court's unequivocal and landmark ruling in FRN v. Nganjiwa, which definitively established that the NJC must first exercise disciplinary control over a serving judicial officer before any criminal or quasi-criminal proceedings can commence against them.

The NBA views the CCB's action as a direct breach of fundamental constitutional provisions specifically designed to safeguard judicial independence and the essential doctrine of separation of powers. They contend that the summons cannot be dismissively considered a mere “benign administrative interaction,” as it undeniably marks the initiation of a formal process capable of leading to significant sanctions, thereby triggering the full spectrum of constitutional protections afforded to the judiciary. The association explicitly stated that the involvement of the National Judicial Council is a constitutional condition precedent to any investigative or adjudicatory process targeting a serving judicial officer. They further warned that allowing the CCB or the Code of Conduct Tribunal to independently summon or try a serving Chief Judge would amount to an unconstitutional encroachment into the judicial sphere, which could potentially render any such proceedings null and void.

Consequently, the Nigerian Bar Association has formally urged the Code of Conduct Bureau to immediately withdraw the summons issued to Justice Tsoho. Instead, they recommend that the CCB should, in accordance with constitutional principles, forward any findings or concerns regarding the allegations to the National Judicial Council for appropriate investigation and decisive action, in line with established constitutional provisions and judicial precedents.

Justice Tsoho, who was sworn in as a Federal High Court judge in November 1998 and subsequently became Chief Judge in December 2019, is also a prominent member of the National Judicial Council, the body responsible for overseeing judicial officers and managing funds for the judiciary. The current situation draws notable parallels to the high-profile case of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was ultimately discharged and acquitted of non-declaration of assets by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, citing a lack of jurisdiction by the tribunal and the acceptance of his voluntary retirement. Justice Tsoho himself has previously faced administrative scrutiny, including in cases involving former Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele in 2023 and a receivership case in 2024. The civil society group Opposition Watch Nigeria has also publicly called for thorough investigations by both the CCB and NJC into the serious allegations against him.