Like most predatory animals, Ribadu spent most part of his time in Obasanjo‘s administration hunting treasury looters. Well, like most lions that attacked human village in Serengeti, it will be become the hunted. That what as become Ribadu, the governors became ex and they are fighting back.
Most organisations that were formed and latter became icons did so because of the people at elms when they were formed. FBI, Scotland yards pay credence to this phenomenon.
Even infamous organization like Nazis SS and KGB followed this path. For good organisation to survive and be relevant, it needs leaders that can raise its profile and people trust.
FBI was synonymous with Edgar J. Hoover (its maiden director). He drew people’s attention to the job of FBI and projected trust of the people to the organisation through himself. He created catch phrase of g-men and showed self determination and ability to fight all level of crime and security threat to the nation. The FBI still enjoys all these attributes today, despite the fact that real big criminals were largely ignored by Hoover herald FBI.
Sometimes it is how you present things that make a difference. I think Ribadu must have made case study on Edgar Hoover and there was big similarity in styles. It worked well for EFCC under Ribadu and with the limited resources; the organisation appeared to be the only thing that function in the government in law enforcement. Comparing to ICCP, police and ministry of justice, EFCC appeared to be on steroid under Ribadu.
Before Obasanjo was jailed by Abacha, he once said during an interview that corruption is the main problem in Nigeria. He went as far as saying that it is not only the person that collected a bribe that is the problem, the person offering it too is part of it. When he was dragged in to run for president (as they said), corruption were part of his campaign promises.
He said there would be no sacred cow and he would pursue anti-corruption stand. Unfortunately, the memory of this was lost in the press and they reported that he was forced by Western countries to act. In his first terms he did not control the party machinery, thus, he was able to pass some laws regarding corruption which established ICCP. The national assembly then was able to tame the ICCP law; this was why organisation is ineffective.
All ICCP investigations of governors and corrupt officials are to be handed over to chief judge who in turn suppose to appoint prosecutor to each case. No chief judge had ever done that (three of them for the last five years), Audu, the former governor of Kogi state had a file with the chief judge office and still contest governorship election twice in two years.
It was the passing of EFCC law that gave anti corruption stand a useful momentum. It gave more teeth to the corruption crusade. To crown the glory or as Fawehimi said, through accident, Ribadu was selected to head it. To be honest, I could not believe people like Ribadu and El Rufai exist in Nigeria. Despite his bravado, Ribadu was thorough, determine and fair. People like Tinubu, Atiku, and Kalu who accused him of witch hunting can not deny he was not fair. They were all given opportunity to defend themselves, but their reactions say it all.
Ribadu success was due to freehand he was given by then president. He was not stopped in prosecuting or investigating perceived to be closed to the president. People such as late Afolabi were investigated and charged to court. Sitting senate president was investigated and charged. All the governors of the federation were all investigated.
I\n addition, he enjoyed full corporation from two former police Inspector Generals (IG) namely Igbenideon and Balogun. Especially Igbenideon, he was quick in hand to provide extra policemen when needed in arresting culprits.
Before anybody was charged, Ribadu makes announcements of the investigation for people to defend themselves in the public. No politicians had ever defended themselves but they took invasive actions. Tinubu defend foreign account he was accused of owning was to asked the body to prove it, Kalu smuggled his mum and brother abroad to evade prosecution, Dariye disappeared so as Fayose.
Unlike the present EFCC that charged people before beginning investigation, they investigate and interrogate first before charging people. When the matter is in court, they go all out gun blazing stopping looting fund and tracing the banks that were used. Moreover, once a case is in the court, his EFCC pushed hard to make the case in time and get conviction.
EFCC under Ribadu was not all about politicians, other fraudsters where prosecuted. He was very successful in getting conviction and put a fair of God on a lot of bank managers’ heart. There was famous case of Brazilian banks director who was a victim of elaborate fraud. All the culprits were apprehended and some money recovered. Many so called 419ers who were invisible during military reign were apprehended and prosecuted.
Ribadu followed no sacred cow principle of Obasanjo by prosecuting those whose political positions were closer to the sit of government. People like Balogun, the former IG and some ministers were prosecuted. He was allowed to investigate Atiku, who was vice president then. Fayose, the governor of Ekiti, who was suppose to be Obasanjo protégé was investigated and charged. Nnamani, Oyinlola etc, governors that were close to the president were all investigated and charged before he was removed.
THE DOWNFALL AND HUMILATION
It is common for any new government in Nigeria to abandon all things it predecessor did and embark on different new agenda and policies. Yaradua was not unique in that sense. Under democratic dispensation, one would have expected the succeeding governments to uphold some of the good policies of his predecessor. A lot of state governors retained some of the good policies f their predecessors.
Yaradua was in a different league. His government was paranoid and kind of propagating misinformation about Obasanjo person. Thus, he headstrong in removing anybody appointed by him whether they are doing good or bad. Besides, there is something cynical about Yaradua government. Thus, it was expected that people like Ribadu will be removed eventually. It was the manners this was done that it became questionable.
First of all, Yaradua was not fingered as one of the corrupted governors in Nigeria, so, no one expect him to be against corruption and Ribadu. However, during the campaign, the likes of Tinubu, Ibori, and Igbinedeon etc had won his heart over and he was determined to protect them. This made Ribadu position unattainable. It was the same group of people who grouped together to ensured that Ribadu was removed.
The first step was to post him to a course in Kuru. Why the police is in so much hurry to send him to school itself is another issue. He got only four years mandate in EFCC, he can go to the college after. The Act of National Assembly that established EFCC was contradicted by the presidency and police Inspector General (IG) forcing Ribadu on a course.
By the Act, once you are EFCC chairman, you report to the president not police IG. The National Assembly that passed the law and supposed to protect all Acts it passes, made a flimsy defend and protest. The assembly went ahead to confirm appointment of new director, knowing full well that Ribadu new term never expired there by breaching its own Act.
There was an understanding between IG, Attorney General (AG) of Federation, the leadership of national assembly and the president that leaving Ribadu in his post will expose all their corrupt activities. It will become more embarrassing as the government and assembly are accusing previous government of unsubstantiated frauds and corruption.
All this happening when Yaradua was reiterating his anti-corruption stands to the nation and the world at large. Yet, you have the nation AG who was the former lawyer to some indicted governors. The ex governors were active visitors to Aso Rock, the seat of government. This made it impossible for them to be prosecuted.
The AG action is a case on its own. There is no were in the world where the chief prosecuting officer was actively putting obstacle on the way of law officers in doing their jobs. He stopped pending case in courts (claiming right to prosecute) interestingly, it was case against Kalu (one of the most corrupt governor and his former client).
He was actively in favouring of another corrupt governor who was charged in England for money laundry. He is trying hard to get the ex governor off the hook on criminal case in London. He caused several delays in some governors been charged to court. The AG got helping hands from the new police IG, Okiro, from his antecedent, he is a corruption unlimited.
To make things worse for Ribadu, he was demoted to assistant commissioner of Police. This made Nigeria Police Force as the only organisation that punished officers for achieving success in their post and duties in the world. The IG used Police Services Commissions to do this dirty work stating correcting promotional errors and god-fatherism.
For a start, a president was commander-in-chief of all armed forces; this gives him power to promote anybody at will if he finds it fit. He can make general out of colonel or IG out of inspector. The only position where formality is required is IG and services chiefs. Ribadu had taken this to court and I believe he has a good case. He was prevented from graduating in Kure from alleged order of police hierarchy. The presidency then turned around and denied been part of it.
This did indicate either the president himself is clueless about what is going on in the country (or what is appointees are up to) or is a liar on his anti-corruption stand. The whole idea is to humiliate him. How someone like Yaradua can sit in Aso Rock and allowed this to happen to dedicated law officer can not be explained.
The EFCC we have now is headed by a former police woman whose achievement in the force is a footnote. She was reported to be a consultant to some indicted governors during their court case with EFCC. The allegation she has not proven to be wrong. She seems not to be good in anything other than take full instruction from Yaradua and avoid prosecuting his friends. On going investigation on Atiku, Tinubu etc has been discontinued.
Her strategy is to make EFCC look busy by instigating half baked cases in various courts whereby slowing down on going cases on the ex-governors. This is old hands in dealing with gullible publics. In most long cases, public loose interest and then government and court fix things to suite each other. EFCC had charged so many people to court with a very little chance of conviction which is the real intention.
Some people were charged while the investigation not even started (Borisade and Iyabo cases). They were not pursuing conviction rigorously and the only benefactors in this new EFCC are the hired lawyers. The lawyers had been used to prosecute cases unlike before under Ribadu were only selected law firms were used.
This Ribadu debacle had put Nigeria back to square one in anti-corruption. With the naïve citizens been fed with false information and Obasanjo alleged misruled and fraud, the corrupted elite have bumper harvest of corruption ahead of them. If you follow the print media, the current crop of governors are saint as no serious allegation had been level against most them.
The major fact of Ribadu case is that the government and police actions taken so far had been relayed to him as a scenario by one of his victim (an ex- governor). There actions confirmed that they are following script written by one of the ex-governor. It is unbecoming of the police chief, Okiro, the man who will leave the saddle for sure in one day.
He need to ask himself, what will become of him after he retires or sacked. I thought Balogun, Gambo and Adewusi were the worse police IGs, well Okiro will make them look like a saint. What kind of legacy Okiro is leaving behind? He headed a police force that recalled 10,000 coppers that were sacked for falsifying qualifications.
A force that demoted a dead officer and punished excellent world class officer. Okiro should think deeply and look around him and learn from other people mistakes. Look at the former Abuja minister that abused his power and authority. He spent so much time to disgrace is predecessor only to end up in vain. Where is the minister now?
The honourable professor who is now in political oblivion, he went as far as falsifying official documents to prove his predecessor was bad. It was reported to be crying on handing over his rein. Obviously he could not comprehends that power could evaporate in seconds.
Some people level dubious allegations that Ribadu was used to witch hunt perceived enemies of Obasanjo. Only naïve people will believe that. For a start, you have to deal with the government in one way or the other before you can be accused of anything. Adenuga for example was dealing with some member of government illegally that was why he had a case to answer. Atiku, he was vice president and I bet he enjoyed it as well.
Had Ribadu prosecute people like Buhari, Balarabe Musa, Major Umar then it would have been a complete different case. For those who were indicted, everybody knows that no one can indict you over nothing, you must have done something first. Can Tinubu tell us how and where he got money to finance AC? Can Kalu defend himself in public regarding Abia state money?
Right now, Ribadu represent Nigeria, hurting or killing him means you are killing Nigeria. Let us remind the clueless president we got and his corrupt friends, no conditional is permanent when it comes to power. Let see how he will cope when the glove is in the other hand.
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tony mustaph london, UK December 30, 2008
Oga Yakubu, do you have evidence that OBJ had N20,000 in his bank account in 1998/1999?
Oga Yakubu, you live in USA now..haba! You can just say things that is based on hearsay and present it as facts. Oga yakubu, where did your Atiku got his money and Tinubu? Well, we know some of it, PTTF, Congres man, Siemen. Can you prove that Ribadu is a millionaire? Do you have facts on that. When you do then tell us how Atiku, a former Custom Officer became a billionaire. When you at it, tell us where Tinubu get his money from, plus Ibori etc.
As you know, Igbenidion had been fined N3.5m... for looting billions. Yarsalow dont care is now left for the people to make Ribadu president and hang this lot.
To show how harpless your are, you are using Tsav as an example. Tsav have been blowing his mouth for the last 5yrs because he want govt. position, OBJ didnt give him now is trying hard on Yaraslow. What did Tsav achieved as a police officer, was he not in Lagos commisioner when Dele Giwa was killed?
Yakubu Arlington, VA, USA December 28, 2008
Nuhu Ribadu once boasted before a foreign audience that if he opened the dirty secrets of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar many people could run away but he didn’t provide specifics of such bombastic claim.
Although he raided the Bank PHB in search of Atiku’s “stolen” billions, Nuhu Ribadu didn’t tell Nigerians the nature of his findings up to the point he was disgraced out of office. Ironically, while he was raiding Bank PHB in search of money allegedly stolen by the former Vice President, Ribadu was not interested in raiding the accounts of Ota Farms after Obasanjo told a startled nation thats he was (is) making 30 million monthly from the process of his Ota Farms.
Most Nigerians were bewildered by Ribadu’s total indifference to how Obasanjo became an overnight billionaire after becoming a President. Gen. Obasanjo was virtually bankrupt when he came out of jail in 1999 and he had only N20,000 in his account according to records of his assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Bureau. His businesses were in ruin when he was in jail but few months after taking office, Ota Farms transformed to overnight prosperity, thanks to the influence of public office.
Yet Ribadu saw nothing wrong in finding out how Ota Farms could be making N30 million monthly after Obasanjo became a President. In fact, Ribadu himself has been struck by the same virus of corruption he was trying to destroy. He is wanted by the EFCC to account for how assets of convicts were disposed and the obliteration of records in respect of the sales.
Besides, his former agency wants him to explain the sources of his sudden wealth, especially how he managed to buy expensive properties in Dubai and the United Kingdom. In fact, tongues are also wagging about how he managed to buy an AIG guest house at N250 million under the dubious monetization policy of the Obasnjo administration.
Instead of addressing these issues, Ribadu launched a well-funded propaganda offensive against the Yar’adua administration to divert attention from his sudden acquisition of wealth. A former Police Commissioner, Abubakar Bula Tsav told the Source Magazine two months ago that Ribadu “is the richest servicing police officer in Nigeria.” It is a case of the hunter being hunted. Ribadu has not only been dismissed from the Police Force but is also facing big question marks about how he became a millionaire overnight while fighting others to explain the sources of their wealth.
Hypocrisy has short legs; it can’t run far and fast without falling by the way side. His desperate quest for public sympathy is to sidestep the issues affecting his sources of wealth. He has repeatedly spurned invitations by EFCC and chose to show up only when his successor was not in the office.
The stunt was designed to produce a dramatic effect by fooling the wider and uncritical public that he has nothing to hide.
Chris Ibadan, Nigeria December 28, 2008
The speed at which justice is coming to knock at the doors of Obasanjo’s moral soldiers seems to be leaving many Nigerians breathless and humbling those that arrogantly abuse power. Nasir El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu and Fani Kayode were once regarded as former President Obasanjo’s blue-eyed boys who could do no wrong and therefore, assigned to attack those branded as corrupt by their vindictive and dubiously puritanical boss.In fact, these boys were favoured enough to attack Obasanjo’s enemies with a view to destroying their reputations and political careers. What an irony!
While they were in office, El-Rufai, Nuhu Ribadu and Fani Kayode were ready to question the integrity of anybody in the name of loyalty to Obasanjo. And today justice is knocking at their doors, revealing their hypocrisies. Truly, the earth is made of glass and therefore, the rogue has no hiding place because justice will eventually catch up with him. And today that is the fate that has befallen the loose cannons of the Obasanjo administration that pretended a morality they did not have.
Seyi Ayinla Manchester, UK December 28, 2008
One thing I hate is the nigerians ability to lie for sentimental reason. I 'm responding to Mr. Agunwa lies.
He needs to find the prove of harrassment of Chuckwumereji by Ribadu. He is a lacky of Kalu and his problems was with PDP not EFCC.
He asked OBJ to be arrested, for what? For awarding contracts to solve our power problems? There are generators rusting at the port and power site because Yaraslow refuse to continue the projects. Is he enjoying power now? OBJ should be arrested for awarding contracts to build 400+ medical centres across local councils in country (the contract canceled and yet many got no medical access).
You want Ribadu to arrest Iyabo for what? She was not even a senator when Ribadu was a chairman. How about the fact that Iyabo recieved money from ministry in Official capacity from official channel. Why Iyabo only when 13 people participated in retreat. If you must arrest Iyabo, you have to arrest all Assembly members that undertook state sponsore retreats. This inludes Kano state retreat in Sokoto now.
You want Fani-Kayode and Borisade arrested for what? These are people that put hard work to stop planes from falling from the sky killing passengers and innocent people on the ground. Yet, you repaid them by prosecuting them. We had lost enterpreneurs, ministers and sultan due to air disasters. Look at your govt. it took them 3 months to find a plane that crashed and now they are prosecuting ministers that actually work.
You want Bode George arrested for been part-time chairman of NPA. If you must jog your memory, it was OBJ govt that exposed the discripances in NPA management. OBJ rejected panel's report as it did not go as far as pointing out culprits. But you will rather get Bode harrassed and leave the managing director alone, who runs things. Well, from the current EFCC investigation, NPA board (where Bode is the chairman) is limited by amount it can spend or approve by supervising ministry making the EFCC allegation nothing but a ridicule.
It is quite funny that most people that are critical of OBJ are mostly ibo extraction which indicate some kind of ethnic hatred behind their comments. It is a pitty, most people that served under OBJ are ibos and they were very good as well. I supported them not because they are ibos but they were good and good for the country. As the saying goes, you do not throw stones into the market, you can hurt people you know. If OBJ govt. is rubbish, then you can draw your conclusion from there.
Agunwa Lagos, Nigeria December 27, 2008
This is the most absurd write up that I have ever read on this web page. For someone to paint Ribadu with so much innocence, like a saint is pure wickedness and a deliberate attempt to twist the facts.
The whole world is aware of Ribadu´s selectiveness in the fight against corruption. The whole world knew how Ribadu used the state machinery to persecute any known opposition to the government of Obasanjo.
While those loyal to Obasanjo walk with impunity, he harrassed, chased and violated the rights of innocent citizens of Nigeria. Ribadu´s lawlessness has no boundry hence his present trivials.
This is a man who cannot go by the rules, always embracing some dictatorial positions. How can someone forgot the much condenmed Obasanjo´s third term agenda? That was a programme widely criticized by the US government and the international community in general.
How can someone forgot the role of Ribadu during the whole process and how he threatened to arrest the whole senators, especially, Senator Uche Chukwumerije? Anyway, I have to recognize the display of intelligence on the part of the author of this articule, but it is a flagrant rape to the fact.
Ribadu can now live his indisciplined lifestyle elswhere and not in Nigeria. Honestly, if Ribadu had acted intelligently, refused to be swayed by the power that be (Obasanjo), pursued financial crime whereever it was committed, he would have been the hero of every Nigerian. If Ribadu had arrested Chris Uba when he told the tribunal that he rigged an election and bought a governorship election, he (Ribadu) would have been my hero.
If he had arrested Bode George, Aneni, Iyabo Obasanjo, Olusegun Obasanjo, he would be my hero. If Ribadu had respected the rule of law and due process when he cajoled the entire lawmakers of Bayelsa state into impeaching a state governor without due process, he would be my hero. But Ribadu flopped. He failed wolfully. Histroy will remember him like the head of "Nigerian gestapo" under Obasanjo´s regime.
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