The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has formally summoned Chief Judge John Tsoho of the Federal High Court after an investigation revealed that he allegedly failed to list several bank accounts in his official asset declaration, ENigeria Newspaper reports.
Sources inside the CCB confirmed that Justice Tsoho was expected on Friday but did not appear. Officials now expect him to respond to the bureau on Monday.
Documents obtained by ENigeria Newspaper show that in the asset declaration Tsoho submitted on 29 April 2024, he reportedly omitted three accounts held with United Bank for Africa (account numbers 3000087154, 3000201901, and 3000075689) and one account with Access Bank (number 1756816871).
The CCB, which oversees compliance with Nigeria’s Code of Conduct laws, requires all public officers to fully declare assets, including bank accounts and balances. Failure to do so is considered a breach and could lead to serious sanctions, including removal from office.
If the claims against Tsoho are confirmed, the matter is expected to be referred to the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Under Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, any false declaration or undisclosed asset acquired without legitimate income is treated as unlawful, with the tribunal empowered to order forfeiture, removal from office, or disqualification from holding public office for up to ten years.
ENigeria Newspaper also noted the similarities with the 2019 case of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, who was removed by the CCT for failing to declare certain bank accounts, though his conviction was overturned in 2024 by the Court of Appeal following a settlement with the federal government.
Justice Tsoho has been under scrutiny previously. Last year, his sudden reassignment of a receivership case between FBNQuest Merchant Bank/First Trustees and Nestoil Group drew criticism, while in June 2023, activists raised concerns after he refused to detain former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, who was under investigation.
Additional controversy surrounds Tsoho’s age. Official profiles list 1959 as his birth year, though critics claim he was born in 1955. No agency has verified these claims.
The latest development occurs amid broader judicial oversight. The National Judicial Council (NJC), led by Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, has launched discreet investigations into senior judges over alleged misconduct and false asset declarations, promising reforms to strengthen transparency and restore public trust.
