You Broke The Independence Of Judiciary – UN Blasts Buhari Over Suspension Of Onnoghen

President Muhammadu Buhari’s removal of former Chief Justice of Nigerian (CJN), Walter Onnoghen has been condemned by the United Nations.

It alleged that the move by the president broke the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers.

“International human rights standards provide that judges may be dismissed only on serious grounds of misconduct or incompetence,” said Diego Garcia-Sayan, the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, on Monday.

“Any decision to suspend or remove a judge from office should be fair and should be taken by an independent authority such as a judicial council or a court,” he said in a statement.

Garcia-Sayan, who is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate legal and judicial independence, said dismissing judges without following legal procedures or offering a chance to contest the decision was incompatible with the independence of the judiciary.

The UN statement said some of the judges and the defence lawyers involved in Onnoghen’s case had been subject to serious threats, pressures and interference.