After Nuhu Ribadu What Next?

By Abubakar Jimoh

It is no more news that the Federal Government has orders the National Institute of Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to release the certificate of graduation of the institute to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu former boss of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). What is therefore the news is the alleged corrupt practices by Ribadu while he was the boss of the anti-corruption body.

From the media, Ribadu was said to have bought choice properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; in the British cities of Leeds and Chelsea as well as in Abuja’s posh Maitama District while he was boss of the anti-grant agency. The information came from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In addition to this, the report added that the former boss also failed to declare his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau in violation of the requirement for all public officers. He was also accused of presiding over the sale of some properties that were confiscated by the agency from the owners for investigation.

Before this development, there was allegation of disappearance or missing file from the custody of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on former governors under investigation. The said public officers were said to have been investigated during the era of Ribadu but were not handed over to the new management under Farida Waziri.

The said missing files were said to contain petitions against prominent personalities which include former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It was this development that made the current chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri to recently disclose that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has no case to answer concerning the issue of corruption and other related offences during his tenure.

It was after this disclosure that many alleged cover-up and some non-governmental organizations disclosed that they had submitted petitions to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu when he was EFCC boss but without giving their petitions the attention.

I think the present EFCC can now take appropriate actions on fresh petitions submitted by Coalition Against Corrupt.

Many have argued that there was no way Ribadu could have taken on the President on corrupt practices because of the fact that he appointed him into the position. Some even alleged that the rapid promotion of Nuhu Ribadu from Assistant Commissioner of police to Assistant Inspector General of Police within few years was bribery in disguise to protect the president and his cronies from prosecution.

Even if he had fear of losing his job, at the end of Obasanjo’s tenure he could have, as an intelligent officer, submit some of the petitions and documents to the in-coming new boss of EFCC since everybody wants the probing of the Obasanjo’s administration.

If files of similar public officers, tagged as corrupt like former governors and former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun who suffered humiliation during their investigation during the tenure of Mallam Ribadu were not missing in EFCC, definitely those containing prominent personalities like Chief Obasanjo and his daughter, Mrs. Iyabo Bello Obasanjo should not be missing. And if so it must be recovered immediately.

Anyway, what a man sowed shall he ripe. The ongoing battle against Mallam Ribadu will serve as a lesson, a life-time experience to all other public officers who because of their positions and the power they weighted from an administration look the other way and cover the negative side of their bosses, a day of reckoning would surely comes. More importantly for those who are used mischievously to intimidate their fellow country men and women in the society. It is hoped that the current chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Waziri would have learnt from the past experiences of her predecessor.

Therefore, in discharging its duties, the EFCC should equally consider and respond to all corruption petition files submit to it. This will enable the commission to achieve its objectives and recover is lost glory as an anti-corruption agency.

Abubakar Jimoh

Department of Linguistics

University of Abuja

Robot  # 1 | 01.12.2008 00:18

After Nuhu Ribadu What Next? By Abubakar Jimoh It is no more news that the Federal Government has orders the National Institute of Strategic Studies (NIPSS) to release the certificate of graduation of the institute to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu former boss of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). What is therefore the news is the alleged corrupt practices by Ribadu while he was the boss of the anti-corruption body. From the media, Ribadu was said to have bought choice properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; in the British cities of Leeds and Chelsea as well as in Abuja’s posh Maitama District while he was boss of the anti-grant agency. The information came from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In addition to this, the report added that the former boss also failed to declare his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau in violation of the requirement for all public officers....Read the full article.

Dewdrops  # 2 | 01.12.2008 06:38

What next? Business as usual. Till he releases the missing "X files"!

Dewdrops  # 3 | 01.12.2008 06:43

=Robot;295592> The said missing files were said to contain petitions against prominent personalities which include former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. It was this development that made the current chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri to recently disclose that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has no case to answer concerning the issue of corruption and other related offences during his tenure. he he he he he he he :D:D:D:D:D Gba beeeeeeeeeeeeee! Do not say I told you. I say the truth will soon come out. Just call me "Dewwy the sexy prophet of doom". Nigeria we wail thee! :clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

olubadan  # 4 | 02.12.2008 08:19

Former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Christopher Kolade, yesterday decried the travails of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, describing it as an “ordeal too much”. Speaking at the Fourth Foundation Day ceremony of Ajayi Crowder University, Oyo State, Kolade attributed the current travails of Ribadu to Nigerias’ allergy to good people and good performance. According to him, Ribadu at the headship of EFCC deserves to be honoured rather than being persecuted. Describing the ordeal as the nation’s “curious allergy”, Kolade said Nigerians seemed to always find a way to truncate whatever good things are happening to them. He regretted that while Ribadu’s performance was being hailed by countries all over the world, Nigerians were busy castigating him just because “we cannot stand such an excellent performance from a young officer like him”. The former envoy alluded to the former judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Prince Bola Ajibola, and former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, as other examples of Nigerians who had offered their best for the country but at the end of the day were vilified. Kolade said: “I refer to the curious allergy that our nation seems to have for good people and good performance. Whenever anything good happens or threatens to happen to us, it seems that we always find a way to turn the tables against ourselves. It is almost as if it makes us ill to endure anything good for more than a very short period.” He said Ajibola who was relieved of his post as the Attorney General and Minister of Justice was an eminent jurist with international reputation but was quickly invited by the International Court of Justice at The Hague to serve as lead jurist. He explained further that despite the meritorious role that Okonjo-Iweala played in the transformation of the Nigerian economy within three years, she was sidelined after which the World Bank proudly embraced the good qualities we failed to see in her. She was given a much higher position, he said. culled from Thisday newspaper. This is the characteristics of the political class we have, they will stop at nothing to maintain staus quo,which gives them the platform to continue there barbaric and reckless behaviours they term Governs.

uzosike  # 5 | 02.12.2008 10:53

Itis not suprising that the distinguished Former Nigerian envoy to UK emphasised what most compatriot believe. It is only those who support the current statusquo and those who have nothing to offer Nigeria that supports this current state of inaction. We have gone back to the dark ages when anythig goes in Niger. People talk about missing files, what about those cases already in the court, the IBORI's, Orji Kalu's and Nnamani's. What has happened to them. What about the current case against IBORI IN LONDON WHERE THE AGF IS TRYING TO FRUSTRATE THE CASE BY WRITTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE CONVICTED THIEF IBORI?. If you claim that Ribadu did not have any evidence, how come he convicted TOFA BALOGU and ALamaseye? the two most prominent case ever in Nigeria? He said he has cases against them and he proved it. He has already taken the Thieves like IBORI and Kalu to Court before he was thrown out by AGF who has made a futune endorsing any letter written by those crooks. It is obvious that the agaist curruption is dead. Madam Waziri was brought to kill it, and she has done a good Job. Nigerian must either fight corruption and these evil men or we are doomed. We must begin to appreciate those Jesus sent to salvage our their nation than crucifying them MANDAVE LONDON

Ispy  # 6 | 02.12.2008 17:59

I personally no longer feel such articles as this one deserve too much comment, Christopher Kolade has said it all !!!

nijalaw  # 7 | 03.12.2008 07:51

From the BBC: ''Threat' to Nigeria ex-graft Czar The former head of Nigeria's anti-corruption unit has had threats made against his life, US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. :pray: Nuhu Ribadu was removed from his post at the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last year and sent on "study leave". HRW says he has since been subjected to an "escalating campaign of harassment". Mr Ribadu told HRW that his car had been shot at in September and he has received threatening phone calls. HRW called on the government to protect Mr Ribadu. 'Undermined' He was moved from his post to attend a course a few weeks after the EFCC arrested a wealthy former governor from Nigeria's oil producing region, James Ibori, who was instrumental in getting the current president elected. Despite promises from President Umaru Yar'Adua that there was "zero tolerance" from his government to corruption, the sleaze watchdog has been "seriously undermined", said Georgette Gagnon, HRW's Africa director. During Mr Ribadu's tenure at the head of the EFCC the anti-corruption agency brought charges against eight former state governors, a former inspector general of police and several high profile businessmen, as well as a number of advance-fee conmen, known as "419ers". But critics said his management of the EFCC's prosecutions were selective, and that the agency was being used by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to punish his enemies. Allies of Mr Obasanjo had escaped prosecution, it was claimed. The BBC's Andrew Walker in the capital, Abuja, says Mr Ribadu's sacking was part of an attempt to remove the influence of the former president in government. HRW said it is concerned at the direction the EFCC has taken since the new head Farida Waziri was appointed. :no: :cry2: The agency's top investigators were returned to the police force, and have been reassigned to states where the men they investigated retain great influence and power, HRW said. :cry2:

nijalaw  # 8 | 03.12.2008 08:00

From the BBC: ''Threat' to Nigeria ex-graft Czar The former head of Nigeria's anti-corruption unit has had threats made against his life, US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said. :pray: Nuhu Ribadu was removed from his post at the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last year and sent on "study leave". HRW says he has since been subjected to an "escalating campaign of harassment". Mr Ribadu told HRW that his car had been shot at in September and he has received threatening phone calls. HRW called on the government to protect Mr Ribadu. 'Undermined' He was moved from his post to attend a course a few weeks after the EFCC arrested a wealthy former governor from Nigeria's oil producing region, James Ibori, who was instrumental in getting the current president elected. Despite promises from President Umaru Yar'Adua that there was "zero tolerance" from his government to corruption, the sleaze watchdog has been "seriously undermined", said Georgette Gagnon, HRW's Africa director. During Mr Ribadu's tenure at the head of the EFCC the anti-corruption agency brought charges against eight former state governors, a former inspector general of police and several high profile businessmen, as well as a number of advance-fee conmen, known as "419ers". But critics said his management of the EFCC's prosecutions were selective, and that the agency was being used by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to punish his enemies. Allies of Mr Obasanjo had escaped prosecution, it was claimed. The BBC's Andrew Walker in the capital, Abuja, says Mr Ribadu's sacking was part of an attempt to remove the influence of the former president in government. HRW said it is concerned at the direction the EFCC has taken since the new head Farida Waziri was appointed. :no: :cry2: The agency's top investigators were returned to the police force, and have been reassigned to states where the men they investigated retain great influence and power, HRW said. :cry2: