SHOCKER: After Many Years, Ribadu Named In Huge Billions of Naira Theft By EFCC Successor, Farida; You'll Be Shocked

Punch Newspaper - A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Farida Waziri, says the pioneer Chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, also benefitted from the stolen funds deployed by the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2015 general elections.

The EFCC had arrested PDP chieftains across the country for allegedly receiving part of the N23bn disbursed by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Although Waziri made no reference to Diezani, she said in a statement by her Personal Assistant, Mrs. Omolara Oluremi, that Ribadu, who was the governorship candidate of the PDP in Adamawa State, received part of the slush funds distributed by the party.

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Waziri’s scathing remarks against her predecessor were said to be in reaction to Ribadu’s claim that Waziri had a hand in his removal from the EFCC and frustrated the anti-graft war.

She said, “If Nuhu is yet to face the reality that the EFCC is a Federal Government agency and not a personal estate of anybody eight years after, I find it compelling to remind him, otherwise, one day he would wake up to blame me for his defeat in the 2011 presidential election and even his pathetic outing in the 2015 governorship election in Adamawa State despite the slush funds deployed to ensure his victory at the polls.”

Waziri also alleged that under Ribadu’s leadership between 2003 and 2007, billions of recovered funds went missing because of his failure to inaugurate an asset recovery unit.

She added, “There is also the need to remind Nuhu that before he succumbs to another logorrhea, he should avail himself a copy of the investigative report on recovered assets during his tenure as EFCC chairman and use the opportunity of the next ceremony or birthday party he is invited to, to explain to Nigerians what happened to billions of funds and assets recovered from suspects under him, with no records or documentation.

“He should be grateful to me that I cleaned his mess by creating an Assets Forfeiture Unit to put the records straight and do things rightly.”

Waziri, who described Ribadu as a political prostitute for jumping from one party to the other, argued that no blackmail could tarnish her image or erase her performance at the EFCC.

She said, “No matter how hard Nuhu tries to obliterate my tenure with his numerous lies, the record of over 450 convictions secured during my three and a half-year sojourn in the EFCC remains indelible.

“Though I inherited about 10 high-profile cases from him in 2008, we took over 75 of such high-profile cases to courts, with another 1,500 low-profile cases pending in courts as of my exit in November 2011. We initiated and commenced work on the permanent office complex of the EFCC sitting on a 5.5 hectares of land along Airport Road, Abuja, in addition to inaugurating offices in Maiduguri, Borno State and Ibadan, Oyo State to expand the commission’s scope of operations.”

Waziri challenged Ribadu to “explain to Nigerians what happened to billions of funds and assets recovered from suspects under him, with no records or documentation.”

While cautioning him to stop using her name “anytime he needs public attention or sympathy”, she also described as lies, recent comments by Ribadu accusing her of “being part of his imaginary enemies who frustrated the nation’s anti-graft war.”

According to her, the former EFCC chairman has always been obsessed with dropping her name into his script anytime he needs public pity or political relevance.

She said, “My attention has been drawn to a reckless and irresponsible statement credited to Nuhu Ribadu at a function on Wednesday in Abuja, where he, as has been his rhetoric since 2008 when I succeeded him as the EFCC Chairman, attempted to malign me by accusing me of being part of his imaginary enemies, who frustrated the nation’s anti-graft war.”

When contacted on the telephone, Ribadu referred our correspondent to his earlier statement against Waziri.

Ribadu had, in a paper he presented at the 2016 annual lecture organised by the Law Chambers of Chief Joe Gadzama (SAN), on Friday, accused Waziri and a former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, of promoting corruption.

He had said, “He (Aondoakaa) attempted to take over the prosecutorial powers of the commission, which would have rendered the EFCC to a toothless bulldog. But, of course, we resisted. He later found a partner in Mrs. Farida Waziri, who inflicted serious damage on the EFCC from which the commission is still struggling to recover.

“For the Halliburton scandal, corrupt practices that were unheard of became widespread and outside lawyers were brought in to handle very important cases that sometimes were turned into avenues of making money.”

Many Years After, Ribadu Names 'CABALS' Who Frustrated Fight Against Corruption, See List

Years after leaving office as the pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu has named some Nigerians he said tried their best to frustrate the nation’s fight against corruption.

Mr. Ribadu spoke on Thursday when he presented the lead paper at the 2016 Annual Lecture organised by the Law Chambers of Joe Kyari Gadzama in Abuja.

Speaking under the theme “Corruption and the Nigerian Economy: Lawyers as Change Agents”, Mr. Ribadu named foremost lawyer, Ben Nwabueze, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, and his successor at the EFCC, Farida Waziri, as people who undermined the country’s efforts to fight against the cancer of corruption.

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“I still recall with amazement and shock how some very senior lawyers made it a duty upon themselves to bring down the EFCC and stop the work we were doing. Many of them, like Prof. Ben Nwabueze, SAN, teamed up with politicians to wage a very serious propaganda to discredit the work we were doing,” he said.

He also said Mr. Nwabueze personally went to court on many occasions to challenge the powers of the EFCC to fight corruption.

“One thing that also did a serious damage to the war against corruption was the active connivance of some senior lawyers who represented the governors we charged to courts after the 2007 election,” he said.

“It is on record that we charged the former governors of Jigawa, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Enugu, Ekiti, Delta, Abia and Edo states as the first set of ex-governors to face prosecution. However, almost 10 years after most of the cases have not gone anywhere because of deliberate action by lawyers to frustrate the trials,” he said.

Mr. Ribadu, a lawyer and former police officer, also said he was shocked that some lawyers who found themselves in government also worked against the fight against corruption.

“Take the case of Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, whose most cardinal agenda as the AGF seemed to be destroying EFCC by every means possible and frustrating all the cases.

“In that regard he attempted to take over the prosecutorial powers of the commission, which would have rendered the EFCC into a toothless bulldog. But of course we resisted,” he said.

He also said that Mr. Aondoakaa later found a partner in Farida Waziri when she was appointed as the chairman of the EFCC to replace Mr. Ribadu.

Mr. Ribadu said Mrs Waziri “inflicted serious damages on the EFCC from which the commission is still struggling to recover”.

He said corrupt practices that were unheard of became widespread in the Commission and outside lawyers were brought in to handle very important cases that sometimes were turned into avenues of making money.

One of such cases, he said, was the Halliburton scandal.

“We did all the work and took the investigation to a very advanced stage, but the case was handed over to private lawyers who connived with some officials to feather their nests from it.

“The lawyers ended up earning more than even the government, to the anguish of those diligent workers who built the case. That was a very unprofessional practice and against global best practice,” he said.

He also said that the United States and the UK who had similar cases did not involve any private lawyer to handle it for them.

“All these are today pieces of history but as the saying goes; truth is constant while lies fizzle out,” he said.

Supporters of anti-corruption

Mr. Ribadu also listed some Nigerian lawyers that he said contributed immensely to the fight against corruption in the country.

He said when they started the EFCC, they received support from some lawyers “many of whom offered to take on our cases for free”.

He said that “In this, Gani(Fawehinmi) has an enviable place. He gave the EFCC his all. He went up to the Supreme Court twice in defence of our work and offered all services of his chambers, including the Law Reports, free for the commission”.

Mr. Ribadu said another strong pillar of support was Femi Falana, “who supported us in nurturing the EFCC to what it is today”.

He said those doing the work today were still feeling Mr. Falana’s legal advocacy and support.

“We equally got incredible support from others like Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the current Vice President of Nigeria; Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN; Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN and Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN,” he said.

Mr. Ribadu said some of those who opposed the EFCC considered the commission a threat to their “personal pecuniary interests”.

“Some lawyers even went to the extent of attempting to compromise us to reach their target,” the retired AIG said. “Of course, we prosecuted those involved in such brazen irresponsibility.

“And because of their centrality in many financial transactions, many lawyers were directly indicted in some scandals. Such action often pitched the law enforcement, which we were, against some lawyers who felt their colleagues should be above the law.”

Excerpted from Premium Times

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Why I Actually Dumped The PDP For APC - Ribadu

Following Malam Nuhu Ribadu's official return to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC today, the former anticorruption czar has said he returned to his former party for the love of his friends who had all gone back to the party.

The former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Friday returned to the All Progressives Congress.

Mr. Ribadu said in a statement he posted on his Facebook page that he rejoined the party online on Friday, and then hosted officials of the party from his Bako Ward in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Then on Friday, he visited the Yola South secretariat of the APC to present himself to the party.

He had left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party in 2014.

Mr. Ribadu, a former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, explained that his return to the APC was triggered by his belief that all politics were local and that almost everyone around him who started politics with him believed the time had come for them to make sacrifices and concession.

He said, “My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my belief that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions. That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months.

“They demonstrated in words and action that they wanted me back home. The intractable crises in the PDP also made it impossible for one to contribute to the necessary task of building a viable opposition platform for our country.

“I also did a deep and long reassessment of the circumstances that warranted my exit from the APC in the first place. I left the APC in 2014 owing to fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands.”

Below is Mr. Ribadu’s statement announcing his return to the APC

Today I heeded the calls on me to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party of which I was a founding member.

I re-registered as a member of the APC last night through the party’s online portal. After that, the leadership of the party in my Bako ward of Yola South Local Government Area visited me in my Yola residence to welcome me back to their fold.

This afternoon, I visited the Yola South secretariat of the party to present myself and submit to the leadership as a loyal party man.

My decision to return to the APC was triggered by my belief that all politics are local. Almost everyone around me, and with whom we started my political journey believed the time had come for us to make sacrifices and make concessions. That is in addition to the unbelievable love that my friends in the APC have showered on me in the past months.

They demonstrated in words and action that they wanted me back home. The intractable crises in the PDP also made it impossible for one to contribute to the necessary task of building a viable opposition platform for our country.

I also did a deep and long reassessment of the circumstances that warranted my exit from the APC in the first place. I left the APC in 2014 owing to fundamental disagreements with the ways the chapter of the party in my state was run after it fell into some hands.

Some colleagues and I tried hard to reposition the fold and save the then APC administration from an orchestrated impeachment plot. We didn’t succeed.

Events in the last 15 months have addressed many of the issues and healed some of the wounds. More so, with the genuine and sincere invitations I received since last year to retrace my steps into the party, I decided to return after consulting family and political associates at all levels.

I would like to appreciate all those members of the party who privately and publicly prodded me to return to the party. My appreciation also goes to the leadership of our party, from my ward in Bako to the national leadership, for the enthusiasm they showed in having me back.

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At Last, Buhari's Wife Sues Noisemaker Gov. Fayose Over Halliburton Scandal

More trouble has beclouded the whistleblower governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose as the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, has sued him for alleging that she was one of those indicted for involvement in the Halliburton multi-million dollar scandal, Punch Newspaper reports this morning

Earlier, Aisha Buhari had on many occasions denied involvement in the scam with a threat to sue Fayose if he did not stop dragging her into a fraud she knew nothing about.

Bother Nuhu Ribadu and Ibrahim Lamorde, two former Chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had also declared that Aisha was not one of the Nigerian mentioned in the scam or indicted for the scandal.

The EFCC investigated the scam during Lamorde’s tenure as the anti-graft boss.

But in spite of these, Fayose had insisted that the President’s wife was involved in the fraud in which Nigeria lost huge sums of money, alleging that the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war was selective and politically-motivated.

 The governor claimed that Aisha Buhari was named in a document that stated she was one of those indicted in the celebrated scandal.

However, a Nigerian online medium, Premium Times reported on Wednesday night that Mrs. Buhari had dragged Fayose to court for maligning her name.

Premium Times stated that it had exclusively obtained the court summons, dated July 20, 2016, that Aisha filed against the governor.

When our correspondent contacted Fayose’s lawyer, Mr. Mike Ozekhome (SAN), on Wednesday night to confirm whether his client had been served the summons or not, his telephone number had been switched off.

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CORRUPTION: Ribadu Tongue-lashes Jonathan, Lauds Buhari, Reveals Cabals Still After Him

In a veil manner, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu has lambasted past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan for lacking the political will to fight corruption. He however lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his zeal, political will to fight corruption to a standstill.

Rubadu on Wednesday said he was still “paying dearly” for his efforts to rid the country of corruption, The Nation reports

According to him, corruption would not have become so endemic if past administrations had the will to fight it.

Ribadu, who denied tampering with recovered assets while at EFCC, said highly placed government officials frustrated the commission’s work, culminating in his removal from office and ‎halting the progress being made in the anti-graft war.

“Somebody was brought in to destroy the agency. It was a tragedy,” Ribadu said.

He spoke in Abuja at a National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Recovery and Management of Recovered Assets, organised by the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

PACAC chairman, Prof Itsay Sagay (SAN), said if Ribadu had not been removed, maybe corruption would not have become so endemic.

He said developing strategies for recovery of stolen assets would act as a deterrent to looters.

“Seizure of assets is more painful to them than imprisonment,” Sagay said.

Ribadu, who gave the keynote speech with the theme: Assets Recovery in Nigeria: Experiences from the past, said although he was still paying the price for stepping on some toes, he had no regrets.

He denied allegations that he was part of those who allegedly re-looted recovered assets, including N1trillion, and expressed surprise that it was a subject of Senate investigation.

He said: “Considering the care we took in handling whatever was in our custody, I find it baffling and disheartening when I hear people make insinuations about how we handled recovered assets.

“It is a most unfair remark but certainly not totally surprising as the fight against corruption is essentially a thankless job, especially in our climes.

“That was why I was telling Prof Sagay: ‘Don’t bother sir, people will abuse you; don’t say anything. This is the job’.

“We are hurting people; we are taking things from those who took things and we denied them chance to make use of them and enjoy and with their family.

“I’m still paying dearly. In my own madness, I decided to go into politics and I am still paying for it. But I am not bothered. I’ll continue fighting till my last breath. If I’m given the opportunity I’ll do it again.”

Ribadu believes the Buhari administration has the political will to tackle corruption and has demonstrated it.

He described EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu as “a good, courageous and honest guy”.

Ribadu said: “We have the most vital tool needed in this war, namely political will. I see in the present leadership, specifically the president, the will to allow the war to be fought without interference and the eagerness to support it in whatever way possible. These two points are important prerequisite in winning the anti-corruption war.

“We are also lucky to have a set of people, including Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who are very passionate and committed to be in charge of the process,” he said.

According to him, due to the limitations of the existing laws on asset forfeiture, the current attempt at enacting a law to cover the spectrum of issues around forfeiture is a welcomed development.

He said despite lack of lack of adequate legal guidance, a lot of stolen assets laundered in several countries had been returned.

According to him, the most significant case of assets recovery prior to the establishment of the EFCC are those stolen by the late head of state General Sani Abacha loot. He said N83billion was recovered from Abacha’s loot locally alone.

“As a legal officer and prosecutor then with the Nigeria Police, I was attached to the team that worked on the Abacha case. With paucity of assets recovery laws, we relied on informal methods including Administrative Confiscation, a mechanism of confiscating assets through non-judicial means. Within the first few months, we recovered billions domestically from such forfeitures,” he said.

Ribadu said a national policy on assets recovery and their use must be developed, backed by a strong legal framework.

“I would suggest that high level, serious consultations be held between all the three arms of government to discuss steps and measures of evolving a very comprehensive national strategy on the fight against corruption that would enumerate the roles expected of all; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

“We should have a strategy that is a product of a consensus. Out of this strategy we can agree, if need be, to have new laws or institutions with clear mandates and responsibilities,” Ribadu said.

PACAC Executive Secretary, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, said between $20billion to $40billion is stolen annually from developing countries.

According to him, seizure is important to the asset recovery process as it ensures the blockage or preservation of assets.

He said such seizures require judicial backing, usually through ex-parte orders (in which notice is not given) so as to prevent the looter from transferring or hiding the assets.

Director, Rule of Law Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, Katalaina Sapolu, said the international community and the Commonwealth would support the Buhari administration’s bid to recover stolen funds.

She said more importantly is what to do with the assets when recovered.

“The management of recovered proceeds is really an issue. Asset recovery has been implemented. But what do you do with the stolen assets once you receive them?

“We do not think that there has been, in many jurisdictions, a really settled view on the approach, because it requires development of policy and establishment of relevant institutional frameworks,” Sapolu said.

According to her, the outcome of the three-day workshop would help in the formulation of such policies.

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2019: Atiku Kicks As RIBADU Rejoins APC From PDP

Acrimony has begun to brew in the ruling all Progressives Congress, APC ahead 2019 general election as a  former anticorruption czar, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu has reportedly returned to the party The Nation Newspaper's report says.

The report says a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and some Adamawa state chapter of the party are not comfortable with Ribadu's return.

Ribadu, a former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman returned to the APC after he got a letter from Adamawa State chapter of the party seeking his return to the party.

Hw will be welcomed back to the party with a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria( ACN ) in the state, Mr. Marcus Gundiri, with their supporters.

But former Vice President,  Atiku Abubakar, Adamawa State Governor Jibrilla Bindow, and two others have protested to National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun and the National Working Committee (NWC) against Ribadu’s return.

The APC leadership told Atiku, the governor and others that the constitution allows an individual to join a party of his choice.

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Once a state chapter of the party is receptive to anyone’s membership, there is a limit to which the National Headquarters can do, they were told.

Ribadu accepted to return to APC following overtures from the leaders of APC at the national level, ex-Governor Murtala Nyako, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal, the state and local government chapters of the party.

A June 22, 2016 letter by the Adamawa State chapter, signed by the Acting State Secretary, Alh. Saidu Naira invited Ribadu back to the party.

The letter reads: “We the entire APC Adamawa State chapter wish to invite you back to your “Home party”, APC.

“Given your track records and progressive nature, we strongly believe APC  is where you belong to.

“We are also mindful of the efforts and contributions you made during the merger without which the merger would have been difficult.

“To this end, we reaffirm our request for you to come home to APC and assist and contribute to the success of the APC government both at the state and national levels.”

A party source said: “We decided to invite Ribadu to return to APC because he was frustrated out by some PDP elements who defected to our party during the merger and countdown to 2015 elections.

“Ribadu did so much for APC in Adamawa State but the setback which made him to go to PDP was frustration following a disagreement with some of our leaders, like ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on the impeachment of ex-Governor Murtala Nyako. Ribadu worked tirelessly to save Nyako from impeachment but our leaders paid lip service and stoked the fire which made ex-Speaker Umar Fintiri to remove the former governor.

“The insincerity of APC leaders in the state made Ribadu to defect to PDP against his own volition. So, he left APC as a result of local politics. It was a state affair but today things have changed.

“When Ribadu was pushed to the wall, he had no choice than to pitch tent with the PDP which needed a credible candidate. Ribadu was frustrated out of APC for being a true party man to save Nyako.

“And the PDP elements, who joined APC, were uncomfortable with the anti-corruption stance of Ribadu and his acceptance in the party. So, it was convenient to hatch a plot to kick him out of the party.

“Today Nyako is vindicated and Umar Fintiri is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC).

“We are now out to correct the past by asking him  to return to APC because Nyako has been vindicated. The court said his removal was wrong. Ribadu has also been justified because he insisted that Nyako was a victim of political vendetta and abuse of power. Nyako is back.

“We have realised that we have all wronged Ribadu. We want him back.”

Asked if Ribadu has accepted the offer, the source said: “He has agreed to return to our fold. We are all happy with him.”

Atiku, Bindow, the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government and the Chief of Staff on Monday protested to John Odigie-Oyegun and the NWC.

The four-man delegation met  with Odigie-Oyegun and his team.

It was all about Ribadu, a source said.

The source, a member of the NWC, said: “We were all shocked that the ex-VP came with the governor and two others to prevail on the  leadership of the party not to readmit Ribadu into APC.

“They spoke of the need for party discipline since Ribadu contested on PDP platform against Bindow. They said Ribadu’s coming back will spell doom for APC unity in the state.

“They all forgot that they were once in PDP too before defecting to APC. Bindow is a former PDP senator.

“Some of us spoke about added value which Ribadu can bring to our party as one of the brains behind the merger politics which led to the birth of APC.

“Contrary to their mission, the leadership at the national level and stakeholders are extremely excited about the return of Ribadu. He is a progressive in thinking and action. The APC needs his service. We became suspicious because no leader of APC at the state level followed them.

“At the end of the day, the party said constitutionally you cannot stop anybody from joining a party. We told the delegation that it is a state issue. If the state executives of APC accept Ribadu, we cannot reject him.

“We will however do our best to reconcile all members of the party, whether old or new. Our ultimate target is to keep the APC family united.”

It was also gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters endorsed the return of Ribadu.

TheNation

2019: PDP, APC Jostle For Ribadu

A former renown anticorruption czar, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu may have turned to a new beautiful bride as the two leading Nigerian political party jostle to have him in their fold ahead of 2019 general election, report by Premium Times suggests

The All Progressives Congress (APC) of Adamawa State has joined the race of groups and individuals calling on a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, to return to the party. This is even as  the former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria is under pressure from his present party, the PDP, to serve as national chairman to ” reorganise the PDP as it readies itself to reclaim power in 2019, Premium Times revealed

Mr. Ribadu is one of the founding leaders of the party, but left for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, shortly before the 2015 general elections.

Mr. Ribadu was the PDP candidate for governor in Adamawa State in 2015. He left the APC after the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako by the State House of Assembly in 2014.

Sources close to the anti-corruption Czar said he was ” deeply disappointed by the inability of the APC leadership to save Mr Nyako from impeachment.”

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In a letter to Mr. Ribadu, signed by the acting secretary of the APC in Adamawa State, Saidu Naira, the ruling party said it was time for Mr. Ribadu to return to his “home party”.

The letter, dated, June, 22, 2016, reads in part:

“Given your track records and progressives nature, we strongly belief APC is where you belong to.

“We are also mindful of the efforts and contributions you made during the merger without which the merger would have been difficult.

“To this end we reaffirm our request for you to come home to APC and assist and contribute to the success of the APC government both at state and national level”.

Efforts to reach Mr. Ribadu or his spokesperson, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, were unsuccessful.

Aisha Buhari & Halliburton Bribery Scandal: Ribadu Reveals Top Secrets, More Facts

Premium Times - The Aisha Buhari mentioned in the bribery scandal of a former United States congressman, William Jefferson, was an impostor who was peddling influence with the name of President Muhammadu Buhari, a former chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Ribadu narrated how the EFCC during his tenure, in conjunction with U.S. authorities, almost arrested the impostor.

“She is a different person and has lived in the U.S. for years. She is hardly in Nigeria. The EFCC was working with U.S. authorities on the investigations. One of my plans was to arrest her before I left the commission. Our suspicion then was that she was using the Buhari name for influence.

“The EFCC laid ambush to see if she would come into the country so she could be arrested. I didn’t know what happened to the plan to arrest her after I left,” he said.

Mr. Ribadu however said if Nigerian authorities were still interested in the case it was easy to establish her real identity.

He said this should not be a problem for investigators because she recently renewed her passport at the Nigeria embassy in Washington and that they should still have a file on her.

Mr. Ribadu’s successor at the EFCC , Ibrahim Lamorde, had earlier told this newspaper the President Buhari’s wife was not the person mentioned in the scandal as alleged by the governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.

Mr. Fayose had distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice Web site holding court documents where a certain Aisha Buhari was alleged to have transferred suspicious funds to a convicted former American congressman, Williams Jefferson.

In a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi, Mr. Fayose said President Buhari was far from being a clean man.

“Even the President cannot claim to be an angel,” the governor said, in reaction to the freezing of his Zenith Bank account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“The estate he built in Abuja is known to us. His wife was indicted over the Halliburton Scandal. When that American, Jefferson, was being sentenced, the President’s wife was mentioned as having wired $170,000 to Jefferson. Her name was on page 25 of the sentencing of Jefferson. We can serialize the judgment for people to see and read.”

But Mr. Lamorde told PREMIUM TIMES that the Aisha Buhari in the Jefferson bribery scandal was not the President’s wife.

“I can tell you authoritatively that the Aisha Buhari named in that case is not President Buhari’s wife. It is another Aisha Buhari entirely,” Mr. Lamorde said.

“I was the director of operations at the EFCC at the time so I know about the case very well. I can tell you that it is not her (President Buhari’s wife). That much we established.”

Corruption Special Promotions For EFCC Chairman: Magu, Like Ribadu, Like Lamorde, By Ifere Paul

There is every reason to be sad about the recent special promotion given to Ibrahim Magu, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, from Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police by the Police Service Commission. Not only does the promotion violate extant rules, regulations and guidelines for promotions in the Nigeria Police Force, it's also going to undermine discipline in the Force, where officers morale is presently at very low ebb due to incessant special promotions given to juniors, far above their seniors. The special promotion to Magu also portends grave danger for the anti-corruption campaign. 

One of the mistakes of past administrations is the appointment of officers on the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police to head the EFCC. Although the EFCC Act allows for officers of this rank (retired or serving) to head the EFCC, representatives of the Force in the EFCC Board is stipulated not to be below the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police. This apparently shows the EFCC Act as defective, which also calls for an urgent amendment by the National Assembly. Only Farida Waziri was appointed as EFCC Chairman on the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police which she retired. The maturity she led the EFCC during her time before she was unceremoniously relieved of her appointment underscores the mistakes in appointing persons of lower ranks.

Nuhu Ribadu and Ibrahim Lamorde were appointed EFCC Chairmen as Assistant Commissioner of Police. Ribadu was later given special promotions to Assistant Inspector General of Police, while his course mates were still Chief Superintendent of Police and Assistant Commissioner of Police during his tenure as EFCC Chairman. Ibrahim Lamorde, who is currently a Commissioner of Police also has course mates languishing in the Assistant Commissioner of Police rank. It is apparent Ibrahim Magu who worked under Ribadu and Lamorde had learned from the duo how to do things wrongly.

One of the greatest mistakes of the present administration is appointing Magu as EFCC Chairman. His non confirmation more than six months after he was given an acting appointment in total violation of the Public Service Rules on acting appointment reveals that the government doesn't have confidence in him. Beyond media trials and cases the Presidency initiated or have interest, Magu has shown to be out of his depth in initiating ideas that will move the EFCC forward. Media trials, campaigns and road shows will not fight corruption. The Police Service Commission also has several petitions against its leadership Sir Mike Okiro and Acting Secretary Mr. Emmanuel I be lying fallow in the EFCC. Magu lobbying for, and receiving a special promotion from the Police Service Commission reveals that he had compromised their investigations.

The President should as a matter of urgency, remove Ibrahim Magu as EFCC Chairman. His opposition to the Money Laundering Bill by the President currently before the Senate points to the fact that he's not on the same page with the President in the anti corruption crusade. The President should also order the reversal of his special promotion and several others by the Police Service Commission in recent times for the interest of justice.

Ifere Paul is an activist and development consultant. He writes from China.