By Investigative Desk
Abuja, Nigeria – A fresh controversy has erupted around Nigeria’s judiciary following reports that the wife of John Terhemba Tsoho, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, was intercepted by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) while allegedly carrying $160,000 in cash during a trip to Benue State.
According to reports first published by Sahara Reporters, the security agency detained and questioned her before returning her to Abuja. Sources cited in the report claim the DSS is expected to transfer the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after concluding its preliminary interrogation. Neither agency has publicly confirmed the incident.
The alleged interception comes at a delicate moment for Justice Tsoho, who is already facing scrutiny over his asset declarations. The matter centres on allegations that he failed to disclose several bank accounts in an asset declaration submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on April 29, 2024.
According to the allegations, three accounts with United Bank for Africa and one with Access Bank were omitted from the declaration. Under Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, public officials are required to declare all assets, liabilities and bank accounts, including domiciliary accounts. Failure to do so may attract penalties ranging from asset forfeiture and disqualification from public office to prison terms of up to ten years.
Justice Tsoho has firmly denied the allegations, insisting he complied fully with the law. He is expected to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau in the week beginning March 16, 2026, accompanied by his lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who is currently abroad for medical treatment.
The unfolding situation has inevitably drawn comparisons with the case of former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, whose 2019 conviction for false asset declaration shook Nigeria’s judiciary before it was later overturned on appeal.
Justice Tsoho, born in 1959 in Benue State, has served on the Federal High Court bench since 1998 and was appointed Chief Judge in 2019. His tenure has not been without controversy. In recent years he has faced criticism over allegations of case reassignment irregularities and over his decision in 2023 not to remand former Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele in custody. There have also been disputed claims about his age, though none has been substantiated.
The developments are unfolding during a period of renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s judiciary under Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, who has sanctioned several judges over allegations of misconduct as part of broader efforts to reinforce discipline within the bench.
News of the alleged airport interception has quickly ignited debate across social media, where many Nigerians have seized on the story as a symbol of deeper anxieties about accountability in the justice system. Some commentators describe it as further evidence of what they call a “cash-and-carry” judiciary, while others caution that the allegations remain unproven and should not be treated as established fact.
For now, the matter remains a developing story. Until official statements emerge from the DSS, the EFCC, or the Code of Conduct Bureau, the claims surrounding the alleged seizure and the broader asset declaration probe remain allegations. Yet even at this early stage, the episode has intensified the spotlight on transparency, ethics and public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial institutions.
