News Star newspaper

Police in dilemma over Ribadu

GBENGA OGUNBUFUNMI, Asst. News Editor
The police authorities are at a loss as to what to do with the former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is due to return for posting next week.
 Ribadu and his mates are expected to graduate on Saturday from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) where they have been undertaking a senior officers' course.
 Sources said the plan to post Ribadu to Edo State as Deputy Commissioner of Police had been frustrated by the court case which the ex-anti-corruption boss filed against the police authorities over his demotion from Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) to
Deputy Commissioner of police (DCP) by the Police Service Commission (PSC). The PSC claimed that Ribadu’s promotion was arbitrary and without the appropriate backing.
But Ribadu’s case, which was withdrawn from the Federal High Court last week, is expected to be filed de novo today at the Federal High Court in Abuja and he will pray the court to restrain the police authorities from effecting his demotion; to restore his rank as AIG; and to enforce his fundamental human rights.
Ribadu’s lawyers are expected to tender in court the letter from the PSC which confirmed his promotion to the rank of AIG to fault the basis for his demotion by the PSC under the current leadership.
Interestingly, the approval of Ribadu’s promotion by the PSC is still widely displayed on the website of the Nigeria Police at press time on Sunday.
Ribadu also on Friday shunned an invitation from the incumbent EFCC boss, Mrs. Farida Waziri, who had requested him to attend a meeting with her to deliberate on issues around the files on ex-governors that were alleged to be missing or incomplete.
But Waziri and other top officials of the EFCC waited in vain for Ribadu, whom sources said ignored the invitation having been unable to understand why he should be the one to be invited for such discussion, if it was necessary at all, since Ibrahim Lamorde, his Director of Operations, who took over from him and held the fort between January and June when Waziri took over, submitted a comprehensive hand-over note to Waziri.
Unlike his ex-boss, Lamorde has had a slight improvement in his career having been posted from Ningi, Bauchi State, where he was sent to as Area Commander to Bauchi, the state capital, also as an Area Commander.
Speaking on Ribadu, a member of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Ms Comfort Obi, said Ribadu "remains a policeman. He has not resigned and has not been sacked." She, however, would not comment on what posting awaited him "because the matter is subjudice."