The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Mainasara Umar Kogo, faces multiple allegations of misconduct and abuse of office, less than a year after his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 27, 2024. A confidential memo dated March 6, 2026, addressed to the president and obtained by SaharaReporters, details accusations from tribunal staff, including claims that Kogo altered rulings made by the three-member panel after court proceedings, allegedly following ex parte communications with defendants. The memo also alleges that over 85% of staff appointments under Kogo are from his region, breaching federal character principles, and that he declared no person from his region would face sanctions during his tenure.
Kogo is accused of nepotism for employing his wife, Zainab Aliyu, his wife's sister, and his brothers, including Mainasara Abdulhamid. Zainab Aliyu was appointed Administrative Officer II on June 16, 2025, with her appointment effective July 1, 2025, and placed on an annual consolidated salary of ₦1,512,756.00. Despite Kogo instructing that she had resigned, she has not been physically present at work but continues to receive her salary for over nine months. The Chairman also allegedly appointed Francis Ogar as Director of Finance and Accounts, even though Ogar was under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), with a report dated April 28, 2025, highlighting the seriousness of the case and staff memos calling for his suspension.
Internal memos reveal a "state of emergency" over missing official files, including the Salaries and Wages Commission file and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation file, which have been unaccounted for since at least February 24, 2026. Kogo allegedly used official CCT letterhead on October 20, 2025, to request leave for a national assignment at the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), processing the request through a business centre to conceal it. He is also accused of unilaterally awarding contracts without following financial regulations.
Mainasara Umar Kogo appointed his wife to a ₦1.5 million annual salary role she never occupied, while insisting her appointment was no longer valid even as payments continued. Nigerians named in the tribunal's missing files — including those tied to the Attorney-General and wage policies — now face uncertainty over the integrity of cases handled during this period. The same tribunal meant to enforce ethical conduct is operating under allegations of financial impropriety and compromised rulings. When the Code of Conduct Tribunal breaches its own code, public trust in accountability institutions erodes beyond repair.
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