Time Up for Nuhu Ribadu In The Nigeria Police Force

Everything has a begging and certainly an end. The end of Nuhu Ribadu, the former Chairman of the EFCC, in the Nigeria Police Force is at hand. He is not indispensable as his admirers want the world to believe. His continued stay in the Force is an embarrassment to the Nigeria Police Force and the country as a whole. Since he now sees himself bigger than the institution that produces him, it is better to ease him out so that he can continue to live in a fool¢s paradise.

Other nations of the world have someone at the head of their anti-corruption agencies, in one form or the other. They are never heard. Ribadu¢s job at EFCC got over his head that he thought he produced Yar¢Adua as president and hence he is untouchable. If he is the Mr. Clean he wants the world to believe he is, why ask the court to prevent EFCC from investigating him? Why is he running from pillar to post just to scuttle the EFCC¢s attempt to try him? He ought to have thrown himself up for investigation and let the world see that he possesses what he preaches. His fear that he is being hounded does not justify his attempt to escape justice. After all, the case will still end up in the same court that he runs to now.

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His friend Nasiru el-Rufai demonstrated to the world that he is willing and ready to answer questions on his tenure.  When the Senate Committee on FCT invited el-Rufai for questioning, he did not run to the courts to prevent the Committee from questioning him. El-Rufai stepped on toes too as Minister and he did not accuse any of his perceived enemies as those responsible for his travails at the time. Rather, it afforded him the opportunity to state his own side of the story. Let Ribadu be a man and emulate his good friend.

          What is most annoying in the whole saga is to refer to Ribadu as the architect of the war on corruption in Nigeria. What is the place of the Murtala Mohammed and Tunde Idiagbon, both of blessed memories? What is the place of Muhammadu Buhari? These gentlemen fought corruption with all their vigour without anyone accusing them of being biased. Also, they were never accused of being corrupt under the guise of fighting corruption. Ribadu swam in corruption. That is the reason why he is being chased about by his shadows. The world would be shocked when Ribadu is investigated and he turned out to be another Obasanjo.

Tunde Idiagbon was in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage when his government was toppled in a place coup. He was offered an asylum by the Saudi government but he rejected the offer, even though, he knew what awaited him in his homeland. He came home and was arrested and detained. He did not ask heaven to fall on us through the period his travails lasted. He stepped on toes but still he did not say that his enemies were after him. This is because the anti-corruption war they initiated was total and genuine. Till date, Tunde Idiagbon remains an icon in the minds of the generality of Nigerians.

To continue to discuss Nuhu Ribadu is like we don¢t have anything to do as a nation. Enough of this nonsense, please. Other nations of the world are discussing issues and ideas and not trivialities. 

 

Mohammed Ali Jnr.

Plot 225, Golf Course Close

Ungwar Rimi Road

Kaduna