Ribadu Returns June 6

 Ugochukwu Ezeagwula   
Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, would return to Nigeria on June 6, this year, after spending one year, five months and three days on self exile. He fled the country on January 3, 2009 after complaining of “serious” threats to his life.
Ribadu’s counsel, Mr. Femi Falana confirmed his client’s planned return yesterday and said that the former EFCC boss’ “final return to Nigeria is on Sunday, June 6.”

Falana, also said that Ribadu’s return would be heralded by an honorary doctorate degree in law that would be conferred on him, the same day, by Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State. The university is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
As a prelude to his eventual return, the Federal government few weeks ago dropped charges of non-declaration of assets it was pursuing against Ribadu at the Code of Conduct Tribunal without giving reasons for its action.
The government also went ahead four days ago to re-instate him as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) and also retired him on the same rank, with effect from December 22, 2008.
Ribadu was in 2007 removed as EFCC Chairman after he fell out with the “powers that be,” and was replaced by Mrs. Farida Waziri.

He was asked to proceed to the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos. However, towards the end of his course, he was ordered to revert to the former rank of DCP. But at the completion of the course, he was not issued a certificate, and was forcibly dragged out of the graduation hall on account that he was not supposed to have attended the course in the first place.
However, a special ceremony was organised for him and his NIPSS certificate awarded to him following the insistence of the then Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was also chairman of the institution’s board.
Following his purported demotion, he was then posted to Benin City, Edo State. However, he defied the authorities by not showing up at his new posting.

Subsequently, he went into exile. He then proceeded to challenge his demotion from the rank of an AIG to a DCP by the PSC.
In a motion exparte filed before Justice Mustapha Abdullahi of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, Ribadu had said: "I fear for my safety and consequently seek the protection of the court as a matter, of utmost urgency."
While he was in exile, the then Justice Constance Momoh-led three-man Code of Conduct Tribunal issued a bench warrant against him for failing to honour its invitation.

In September last year, Ribadu sneaked into the country in a dramatic fashion to pay homage condolences to the Fawehinmi over the death of Chief Gani Fawehinmi. He even went to the mortuary to pay his respects to the human rights activist.
Since then he has been doing the circus of delivering speeches and attending international conferences. He was invited to appear before the Congressional Committee on Foreign Relations.