How I got my police dismissal, demotion reversed – Ribadu

The former EFCC boss, Mr. Ribadu, says a court annulled the government’s decision.

Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu,

yesterday, said the decision by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to demote him, and later dismiss him from the Nigeria Police Force, was annulled by the court, contrary to claims he was favoured by government.

Mr Ribadu was dismissed from the Police in controversial circumstances in 2008. He later fled the country after two failed assassination attempts on him.

Against the backdrop of claims that he got back his rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in 2010 out of magnanimity, the former EFCC boss said he actually won a case against the government’s decision to demote him.

Speaking Thursday at a public lecture to mark the official opening of a new law office of a senior lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, Mr Ribadu said it was Mr. Oyetibo that handled the case on his behalf.

Describing the case as one of Mr. Oyetibo’s many “many historic victories” Mr. Ribadu recalled that the lawyer succeeded in having “the decision reversed and my ranks restored”.

He said the action of Mr Oyetibo was “a huge favour which I may never be able to repay, except with these tokens of gratitude”.

“I’m here today not just to honour my brother Barrister Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, but to sincerely express a depth of gratitude for his selfless contributions to my personal and public service career,” Mr Ribadu said. “My relationship with this remarkable lawyer is one for which I must forever remain grateful. He has stood with me, believed in my causes while I was at EFCC and dedicated his time and resources to representing us pro bono.”

Mr. Ribadu also recalled the contributions of several other legal practitioners who supported his tenure at the EFCC and beyond as well as some operatives of the commission who paid the supreme price in the line of duty.

He said without the sacrifices and support of those individuals, the commission, then under his leadership, might not have recorded as much successes as it did within the six years of his stewardship at the EFCC.

He thanked the lawyers who represented him in his cases.

“I will forever remain indebted to the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, his Chamber and family, for standing with us, and representing us in courts without asking for a kobo. Chief Gani was swift in challenging the decision to have me vacate office for a course at Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Study (NIPSS).

“The sacrifices of Barrister Femi Falana, SAN, and Chamber, including his successful defence of the case filed against me by the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Michael Aondoakaa, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over a false claim of my failure to fill out the asset declaration form as a public servant, were also favours no man can ever repay. This was among the many cases Mr Falana successfully handled for me and the EFCC at no cost of ours while I was in charge.

“I must also thank my friend and classmate, Barrister Charles Musa and Chamber and my younger brother Barrister Ahmed Uwais and Chamber, who participated in these historic struggles of my career, and invested their time and resources for my sake, and the sake of the nation. I must also commend the Nigerian judiciary for being the shade inside which our hope was restored. We don’t come across kind-hearted people like them every day.”