25 November 2008
editorial
Lagos — The presidency yesterday ordered a probe into the prevention of the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the graduating ceremony of the National Institute Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS),last week.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, is to head the investigative panel, which is to report back to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in his capacity as the chairman of NIPSS governing board.
The Vice President has also directed the management of NIPSS to immediately release the certificate of completion to both Ribadu and another course participant, Mr. Allen Briggs, who also was prevented from graduating from the institute.
A statement by Ima Niboro, special assistant on media and publicity to Mr. Jonathan, said the Presidency disturbed by the widespread reports accusing of complicity in the saga.
The statement reads,"The Federal Government is concerned about reports that it was involved in the decision to prevent Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the EFCC and Mr. Allen Briggs from participating in the graduation ceremony of NIPSS after successfully completing the senior executive course.
"For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, the Federal Government wishes to affirm that it gave no such directive that Mallam Ribadu or any other person be barred from the NIPSS graduation.
"Consequently, the Presidency has ordered the Institute to immediately award the certificate of participation in Senior Executive Course 30 to him and the other participant who was said to have been absent at the graduation ceremony".
"The (SGF) has also been mandated to investigate the circumstances of Mallam Ribadu's removal from the graduation venue and report back to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who oversees the Institute and was at the ceremony.
Last Saturday, Ribadu, a participant in the course, was billed to graduate alongside 64 others and had sat with his wife, children and other relatives but was asked to leave without any reason.
According to the reports, Ribadu was inside the Unity Conference Hall of NIPSS where the graduation ceremony was to take place when a senior police officer walked to him and told him to go out and dress properly in his uniform.
There was another order from the chief security officer of the institute that Ribadu should vacate the hall immediately. He was said to have stood up at that point. The security officials around however decided to drag and shove him, his wife and children out of the hall.
He was further told that he would not receive his certificate of graduation even though his name was in the list of the graduates..
NIPSS director of studies, Adamu Fika, told newsmen that Ribadu and another participant, Deindo Briggs, were exempted from the awards on medical grounds and other issues.
Briggs, a personnel of the Institute was alleged to have been involved in unethical practice during a tour of China by the course participants, an allegation he has continuously denied.
Reacting to the development, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) said the Federal Government must apologise to Ribadu immediately for all that happened to him last Saturday.
He said the incident did not require a long investigation for the culprits to be brought to book.
Fawehinmi urged the Police Service Commission (PSC) to restore Ribadu's old, rank, an Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police.
Also, he called on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to reinstate Ribadu as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, the last may not have been heard of the travails of the embattled Ribadu as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okoro, has summoned him (Ribadu) to his office today.
The summon, it was gathered, was followed to information from the Police high command that Ribadu disgraced the police force by his mode of dressing to the graduation ceremony of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Jos, where he was billed to graduate from the Course 30 of the institute.
Ribadu's was supposed to be one of the honorees for the day, having passed all the prescribed examinations of the institute. He was, however, withdrawn from the honours roll by security operatives for undisclosed reasons.
Given the embarassement, which the police high command considered too big to be ignored, especially given the controversy trailing the former anti-graft czar in recent times the Police Management Team was said to have summoned him to appear to face a panel today.
It was not disclosed, however, the nature of the panel and those who would be on the panel, but sources at the force headquarters in Abuja told our reporter that the probe team will be headed by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Force Secretary, at the Force Headquarters.
Last Saturday, following Ribadu's withdrawal from the list of those to be honoured at NIPPS, his whereabouts also became another source of worry as no one could say for certain where Ribadu was being kept. Neither close family friends nor his lawyers could volunteer a word on this.
At a point, the former EFCC boss was said to have been whisked away by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), but for the absence of a spokesman, since the removal of Mr. Ado Muazu, the service could not be reached for official voice on the matter.
The Police high command on its own preferred to keep mum on the matter. The Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Akpoebi Agberebi, could not be reached as he travelled out with the IGP since last week and is yet to be back in Abuja.
His deputy, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Yemi Ajayi, said he was not authorized to speak on any matter, including the Ribadu issue and referred our reporters to Agberebi, who could not be reached on phone or physically.
However, sources at the Force Headquarters told our correspondents that Ribadu "has been summoned to the Force Headquarters to see the IGP and face the panel set up to interview him".
The Police Sercive Commission (PSC), which is the statutory body set up to discipline police officers and men, is yet to make any statement on the Ribadu issue.
When contacted, Mr. Etiebet's the Chief Public Relations Officer, said the PSC, apart form the issue concerning the demotion of Ribadu, wass yet to discuss any matter concerning the officer. "We are yet to take any action on him and we are yet to take a decision an him," Etiebet said.
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