*Mystery surrounds seized funds and the purpose of trip to Benue State
*Violates Code of Conduct law for failing to allegedly fully disclose assets, including three bank accounts with United Bank for Africa and another with Access Bank
*Faces 10-year jail term, and 10-year ban from holding public office if convicted by Code of Conduct Bureau
*“The Chief Judge remained fully committed to cooperating with the bureau regarding its invitation”- Catherine Christopher, Director of Information of the Federal High Court of Nigeria
*“The Honourable Chief Judge, Hon Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, remains fully committed to cooperating with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in respect of its invitation”–Defence Legal Counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN)
*BY TOLAKE IFADAPO, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT, ABUJA, Nigeria
Scandal rocking the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho after his wife was caught with a huge sum of $160,000 (One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Dollars) neatly hidden in the chauffeured vehicle’s trunk she traveled on the road to Benue State recently seems far from over as the smoke of the dust rises close to the Heavens, calling for scrutiny.
Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last Tuesday interrogated the embattled Chief Judge for several hours over the large sum of cash found in his wife’s possession.
An EFCC source reportedly said: “EFCC interrogated the Chief Judge, Tsoho, for hours on Tuesday over his wife’s cash haul.”
The development followed SaharaReporters’ exclusive report on Sunday that Justice Tsoho’s wife had been intercepted by EFCC operatives while travelling to Benue State. She was subsequently returned to Abuja, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The eagle-eyed anti-fraud agency allegedly discovered $160,000 in cash in her possession at the time of the interception.
“She was intercepted by EFCC operatives while travelling to Benue State and was subsequently returned to Abuja,” a source previously said.
“$160,000 cash was reportedly found in her possession at the point of interception.”
The circumstances surrounding the funds and the purpose of the trip have not yet been officially clarified.
The incident comes amid growing scrutiny surrounding Justice Tsoho.
Meanwhile, the Chief Judge was to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on March 16, 2026, over allegations that he failed to declare his assets as required by law.
Tsoho was scheduled to appear before the CCB to address allegations of failing to declare certain bank accounts in his asset declaration form. The inquiry follows reports suggesting he omitted several accounts, violating Nigerian Code of Conduct law in the process.
A petition accused Justice Tsoho of violating the Code of Conduct law by allegedly failing to fully disclose his assets, including three bank accounts with United Bank for Africa (UBA) and another with Access Bank.
If the Code of Conduct Bureau establishes a prima facie case, the anti-corruption body could initiate charges against the Chief Judge. A conviction could attract a prison term of up to 10 years as well as a 10-year ban from holding public office.
In a statement issued last Monday, the Director of Information of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Catherine Christopher, said the Chief Judge remained fully committed to cooperating with the bureau regarding its invitation.
The statement added that Justice Tsoho would appear before the bureau alongside his legal representative, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who was earlier reported to be outside the country for medical reasons.
According to the court, the senior advocate has indicated his willingness to accompany the Chief Judge to the bureau upon his return to Nigeria.
“The Federal High Court of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the Honourable Chief Judge, Hon Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, remains fully committed to cooperating with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in respect of its invitation,” the statement read.
In an earlier statement, the controversial Judge’s defence legal counsel, Kanu Godwin Agabi, CON, SAN said: “In accordance with his constitutional right to consult and be represented by counsel of his choice, his legal representative, Kanu Godwin Agabi, CON, SAN, indicated his readiness to accompany the Honourable Chief Judge to the Bureau upon his return to Nigeria, he being presently outside the country for medical reasons.”
The court also disclosed that the position had been formally communicated to the bureau, reaffirming the Chief Judge’s willingness to appear and fully participate in the process in accordance with the law and established constitutional safeguards.
According to the statement, Justice Tsoho requested the bureau to schedule his appearance for any date beginning from the week of March 16, which he indicated would be most convenient for him and his legal counsel.
Justice Tsoho’s planned appearance before the bureau follows an investigation by Premium Times which alleged that the judge failed to declare several bank accounts as required by law, potentially breaching Nigeria’s Code of Conduct regulations.
The report, based on documents and interviews, stated that in an asset declaration submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on April 29, 2024, Justice Tsoho allegedly failed to list at least three accounts with United Bank for Africa and one account with Access Bank in his name.
Such omissions, if proven, would constitute a violation of Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
Under Nigerian law, public officers are required to declare all assets, liabilities and bank accounts, including domiciliary accounts.
False or incomplete asset declarations can attract penalties such as removal from office, disqualification from holding public office for up to 10 years, and the forfeiture of improperly declared assets.
Justice Tsoho’s invitation by the CCB was reportedly issued as part of the bureau’s response to the findings of the investigation, although officials have yet to publicly outline the specific allegations against him.
Justice Tsoho, however, has denied the allegations, insisting that he has fully complied with all legal requirements for asset declaration.
Elucidating on the dangers ahead, Eculaw Group, a renowned law chamber in Nigeria gave a breakdown that the situation surrounding Chief Judge Tsoho is indeed a high-stakes crisis for Nigeria’s judiciary. The recent interception of his wife with a large sum of cash is a dramatic escalation of an ongoing probe. Here’s a breakdown of what this means for Justice Tsoho personally and for the Nigerian judicial system as a whole:
*What This Means for Justice Tsoho:
(1) A Dramatic Escalation: The investigation began with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) probing Justice Tsoho over an alleged failure to declare several bank accounts in his asset declaration form. The interception of his wife, Mrs. Tsoho, at the airport with $160,000 in cash transforms this from an administrative query into a major criminal investigation with serious implications.
(2) Personal and Legal Jeopardy: The EFCC suspects the cash was being moved to “layer” or hide funds. This directly links his household to the financial allegations against him. If the funds are traced back to him or are found to be proceeds of corruption, he could face:
(3) Referral to the Code of Conduct Tribunal, which has the power to remove him from office, disqualify him from public office for up to 10 years, and order forfeiture of assets.
(4) Criminal charges, as the EFCC now has a tangible piece of evidence to pursue.
(5) A Test of Due Process: The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has already faulted the CCB’s initial invitation, arguing that only the National Judicial Council (NJC) has the constitutional authority to investigate a sitting judge. Justice Tsoho’s legal team, led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has indicated his willingness to cooperate but insists on following proper procedure. How the authorities navigate this balancing aggressive investigation with respect for judicial independence will be critical.
*What This Means for the Nigerian Judicial System:
(1) Amplifies a Pre-existing Integrity Crisis: This scandal strikes at the very top of the Federal High Court, the arena for Nigeria’s most sensitive corruption cases. It feeds a long-standing public perception of deep-seated corruption within the judiciary, a problem highlighted by academic studies and reports on the justice system’s integrity. The situation is a “tipping point” that severely damages public trust.
(2) Deepens the Executive-Judiciary Tension: The case is a flashpoint in the ongoing struggle between the executive branch (through the EFCC and CCB) and the judiciary. The NBA has explicitly compared this to the controversial 2019 prosecution of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, which was widely seen as executive overreach. For many, this looks like the presidency using anti-corruption agencies to remove a judge it finds inconvenient.
(3) Creates a Paradox: The system is simultaneously showing signs of both aggressive action and paralysis.
(a) Action: The EFCC is emboldened by a recent Supreme Court ruling validating its powers, and the NJC is conducting broad investigations into senior judges.
(b) Paralysis: The entire saga could further stall judicial work and distract from other necessary reforms, such as technology integration and better funding, which the Attorney General himself has identified as critical for improving justice delivery.
This situation places Justice Tsoho’s career in grave jeopardy while pushing Nigeria’s judicial independence to its limit. The coming weeks-specifically how the NJC, the CCB, and the EFCC coordinate (or clash)-will determine whether this is seen as a landmark anti-corruption success or a politically motivated crisis that further weakens the rule of law.
This analysis is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Eculaw Group specializes in governance, regulatory compliance, and public policy engagement across Nigerian jurisdictions.
*Grand Conspiracy for Cover Up:
There is a grand conspiracy to kill the investigation of John Tsoho, the chief judge of the federal high court (FHC), over questions on his asset declaration and age, a civil society organisation has alleged.
In a statement shared with The Cable on Tuesday, Judicial Watchdog Initiative, a group of activists based in Abuja, said it would be “tragic” if the judge is allowed to sit over people’s cases without first clearing his name.
“We are not saying he is guilty as charged, but it is only decent and honourable for him to clear his name before presiding over a court of law,” the group said in a statement signed by Grace Kontagora, its executive director.
“Premium Times reported that Justice Tsoho did not declare some of his assets and that his official age is a subject of controversy. Sahara Reporters also reported that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intercepted Tsoho’s wife on her way to Benue state and recovered $160,000 cash in her possession.
“The least he owes Nigerians is for him to clear his name before holding the gavel again.”
Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, chief justice of Nigeria, has also come under pressure to act over the allegations.
Kekere-Ekun is the chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC), the apex body responsible for ensuring the independence of the judiciary, including appointing, promoting, and disciplining judicial officers.
“The Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun promised to clean up the judiciary when she was inaugurated. This is going to be a litmus test for her, whether or not she was just saying those things for the cameras,” the Judicial Watchdog Initiative said in the statement.
“We are aware that the anti-graft agencies are ready to do their work professionally, but they cannot if there is political interference, if there is a grand conspiracy to cover up. We call on the Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to do the needful, otherwise it is untenable for the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to pick and choose what judges to investigate over allegations of infractions. The credibility of both the Chief Justice and the NJC is at stake.”
An investigation by Premium Times had alleged that Tsoho might have violated the code of conduct law by not making full disclosure of his assets.
The newspaper reported that he did not declare three of his accounts with the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and another with Access Bank.
CCB has summoned him to defend the allegations.
The CCB is empowered by law to investigate breaches of the code of conduct for public officers and, where necessary, refers to matters to the Tribunal Code of Conduct (CCT).
If he is found to have committed any infractions, he faces a number of sanctions, including removal from office and a 10-year ban on holding public office.
There are also allegations that he falsified his age.
After failing to honour the summons of the CCB despite repeated invitations, Tsoho finally promised to do so upon the return of his lawyer, Kanu Agabi, a senior lawyer, from a foreign trip.
In a statement issued last week, Catherine Christopher, director of information of the FHC, said Tsoho remains committed to cooperating with the CCB in respect of its invitation.
The statement said the chief judge would appear before the CCB alongside his legal representative, Kanu Agabi, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Christopher said the position “has been duly communicated to the Code of Conduct Bureau, affirming the Chief Judge’s willingness to appear and participate in the process in full compliance with the law and established constitutional safeguards”.
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