Hyacinth Chinweuba
A coalition of Niger Delta militants at the weekend threatened to shut down the country if the charges brought against the Chief of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghn by the federal government are not withdrawn.
Describing the charges as simply a clear case of harassment, the militants in a statement by General John Dukku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs and Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari was not in the first place disposed to appointing Onoge as CJN.
The militants also warned non-indigenes who own oil wells in the Niger Delta to be ready to vacate the zone.
According to the militants, the CJN has been suffering humiliation because he is from south south minority.
Part of the statement reads: “The General Assembly of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators is shocked to learn about the arraignment of the Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Justice Walter Onnoghen over allegations of his false declaration of assets based on a petition written by one Mr. Dennis Aghanya of the Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative.
The CJN is suffering just because he is from the minority area of the South South the Niger Delta region. This is definitely a petition plotted by the Presidency to forcefully remove the incumbent CJN from office and replace him with a Northerner.
“In the first instance, President Muhammadu Buhari was not disposed to Justice Onnoghens appointment to this position which is why he refused to confirm the appointment after so many months of serving in Acting capacity. It was during the period of his sickness while in Britain that the Acting President Prof. Osinbajo confirmed the appointment. We wish to also recall that in August last year, Mr. Matthew Seiyefa of Bayelsa State who was the most senior and most qualified officer at the time was appointed to the position of Acting Director-General of the Department of State Security by Prof. Osinbajo, only to be replaced with a retired and junior officer to Mr. Seiyefa, Mr. Yusuf Magji Bichi by President Buhari as soon as he resumed duties. We hereby vehemently resist any attempt to remove CJN Walter Onnoghen from office.
“These go to confirm that there is a high level of hatred, injustice, discrimination and marginalization of the Niger Delta region by the APC-led government over the past three years”.
The federal government had accused Onoge of failing to declare his assets, an allegation he has since denied.