Nuhu RibaduFederal Government Wednesday withdrew all Charges against the Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. The Code of Conduct Bureau had in a charge alleged that Ribadu failed to declare his asset as a public officer while in office as EFCC Chairman asserting that he thereby violated the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act in respect of asset declaration.
The application to withdraw was made pursuant to the inherent powers of the Federal Government to stop proceedings against anyone under trial for any offence. The Code of Conduct Tribunal will sit later to drop all the charges.
The tribunal had issued a warrant of arrest for the former EFCC boss, for failing to appear before it to clarify issues relating to his asset declaration before assuming office as EFCC chairman. Ribadu failed to appear claiming his life was under threat.
Ribadu's lawyer, Femi Falana said, “Ribadu’s inability to appear before the tribunal was due the difficulties associated with the renewal of his international passport Ribadu is being accused of alleged failure to declare his asset as required of a public servant while in office.
The tribunal however ruled that if Ribadu voluntarily appears before it on the next adjourned date of January 7, “the bench warrant shall have no effect.”
The prosecutor, Ahmed Kyari had applied for an indefinite adjournment to enable them effect the bench warrant on Ribadu.
The Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC),Nuhu Ribadu, had told the world that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was after his life and actually forced him into exile.
He also recalled the traumatic experience he went through while at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos in Plateau State.
Ribadu said the President, right from the on set, was not comfortable with the mode of operation at the commission, when he was in charge.
Ribadu also lamented that it was not his plan to go on exile let alone go back to school there, noting that the world economic hardship has taken a toll on him.
He is currently studying at the prestigious Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
He told the BBC: "Whatever that happened that is how God wants it, but it is something with the government. The way we worked in the past, this government doesn't want it.
"They said I should go to school, I was in school. They followed it up and said they had sacked me. Not done on the graduation day, I was not allowed to receive my certificate, I was forced out with my children and family.
"The President knows and he has sent me out of the country."
Asked whether he was making a blanket allegation on the present administration, Ribadu stated, "Who will have done this work if not him (Yar'Adua)?"
"Is this even something that we will argue? Everybody knows that it was the government. God knows what happened and God will judge us."
On the allegation that former President Olusegun Obasanjo used him and dumped him, Ribadu argued: "People should know there was differences in our work. This Obasanjo I don't even know him. It was work that joined us and he gave me freedom and has never said Nuhu come and do this.
" But you cannot stop people with their dispositions. I investigated him and found nothing indicting against him but I got his daughter.
"Today I am suffering here because I don't want to stay abroad. It is suffering here. Only recently I started earning salary after one year.
"I got a job with the Centre for Global Development. I thank God the demand for my service is increasing in the world. Hardly two or three days without my attention being needed across the world. I thank God for this."
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