A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, ordered that the former Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The court presided over by Justice Peter Kekemeke granted the remand order following Umar’s arraignment by the federal government on four count charges on corruption.
The federal government said investigations carried out on the former Chairman of the CCT revealed that he abused his official position by conferring an undue advantage on himself while he served as head of the tribunal.
It was specifically alleged that in 2021, Danladi Umar used his wife’s bank account to collect the sum of ₦5.5 million from a contractor engaged in the painting of the headquarters of the CCT headquarters in Abuja.
The government further alleged that on January 25, 2024, the former Chairman of the CCT also used his wife’s account to collect another ₦6 million from a contractor who handled the digitisation of the Tribunal’s records.
In the same vein, Danladi Umar is being accused of having directed another contractor to pay ₦2.43 million as his daughter’s tuition at Baze University, Abuja.
Umar is being alleged to have committed the offences punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
When the charges were read to him, Umar pleaded not guilty.
Following his plea, the prosecution counsel, Christopher Mshelia, urged the court to remand him in a correctional facility and prayed the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.
However, the defendant, through his legal team, pleaded with the court to release him on bail pending the determination of the case.
Accordingly, Justice Kekemeke adjourned the case until July 15 for hearing of the defendant’s bail application.
It would be recalled that the Senate after a closed-door session in 2024, approved the removal of Danladi Umar as the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).
The Senate had declared that more than 84 lawmakers supported the motion to remove Umar from office by invoking section 157(1) of the 1999 constitution which stipulates that 2/3 of the Senate can remove the head of any statutory body alleged to have indulged in gross misconduct and misdemeanour in office.
