Nigerian president accepts retirement of former chief judge

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Nigerian president has accepted the voluntary retirement of former chief justice Walter Onnoghen after his conviction earlier this year.

Onnoghen was accused of of breaching an asset-declaration rule. He was then sacked on 18 April by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which said it had found him guilty of hiding the extent of his wealth.

Onnoghen had earlier in January been suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari, a few weeks before the West African nation held its presidential election.

Nigerian laws require that all senior servants and government officials declare their assets before taking office as a way of monitoring wrongdoing.

According to President Buhari, Onnoghen's resignation was effective from May 28

In its April ruling, the CCT also banned Onnoghen from holding any public office for 10 years, and ordered that any assets that he failed to account for be forfeited to the state, including five bank accounts.

The CCT is established as a special tribunal dedicated to combating corruption in all the levels, arms and agencies of government in Nigeria.

It works in collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau, a body charged with the superintendence of the constitutionally obligated declaration of assets by every public officer in Nigeria as well as investigation of corrupt practices related to such declaration.

Ibrahim Tanko Muhammed currently serves as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria.