A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered the remand of the immediate past Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, at the Kuje Correctional Centre .
Justice Peter Kekemeke gave the remand order on Thursday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Umar on a four-count corruption charge bordering on abuse of office and conferring undue advantage on himself.
According to the charge sheet, the Federal Government alleged that Umar, while serving as CCT Chairman and Chairman of the tribunal’s Tenders Board, used his position to divert funds from contractors to his wife and children .
Specifically, the prosecution alleged that in 2021, Umar used his wife’s bank account to collect N5.5 million from a subcontractor engaged to paint the CCT headquarters in Abuja . On January 25, 2024, he was also accused of using the same account to collect N6 million from a contractor handling the digitisation of the CCT’s records .
Furthermore, the EFCC alleged that Umar directed another contractor to pay a total of N2,043,916.88 each to Baze University, Abuja, as tuition fees for his daughter and son .
The alleged offences are said to be punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Umar pleaded not guilty to all four counts when the charges were read to him in court .
Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, applied for his remand and requested a date for the commencement of trial . Defence counsel, Sunday Edward, however, moved an application for bail on behalf of his client, assuring the court that Umar would be available to stand trial .
The prosecution opposed the immediate hearing of the bail application, arguing that they had just been served with it on Wednesday at about 3 pm and needed time to respond .
Consequently, Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter until July 15, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application . He ordered that Umar be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of the application
Umar’s legal battle is the latest chapter in a controversial career. He is famously remembered for presiding over the 2019 case that led to the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. On January 23, 2019, Umar issued a controversial ex parte order that led to Onnoghen’s suspension, and later convicted him on April 18, 2019, despite Onnoghen having resigned earlier that month.
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