Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Photo By: Sun News Publishing

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As two chieftains of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are preparing to proceed on training, fresh facts have emerged on why the chairman of the commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, in particular, was eased out of his job.

Reliable sources revealed that the decision to ask Ribadu to proceed on course at National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State was, indeed, a safe landing for him as harsher options were considered against him.

Daily Sun gathered that the former EFCC boss got into trouble over his allegiance to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which may have caused the commission to brush aside allegations against the former president.

It was learnt that the current contract scam involving the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello was brought to the notice of the EFCC in 2006 and nothing was done about it.
Also, the way EFCC explained the allegation that the presidential jet was used by a former aide to Obasanjo to take money into the United States, which was a subject of legal action, did not go down well with some people in the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua government. This action was since as Ribadu’s hypocrisy, in the fight against corruption

It was also gathered that Ribadu fell out of favour when elements in the EFCC plotted to cause a rift within the Presidency, with the sole purpose of pitting Vice President Goodluck Jonathan against his boss, President Yar’Adua.
Yar’Adua, it was gathered, wanted to remove Ribadu from office early in his administration because of the belief that the EFCC had been politicized.

The Presidency, it was also learnt, was worried about petitions against the leadership of the EFCC. Some of the allegations in the petitions ranges from acquisition of several land in Abuja by chieftains of the anti-graft commission, using fronts, family members.
A particular example of a house in Mambilla Street in Asokoro, Abuja, which served as Mr Sunday Ehindero’s residence when he was Deputy Inspector-General of Police, was cited.

The decision to send Ribadu on course was therefore, taken when it was realized that the Police were not ready to receive him now as many of the officers are believed to be quite unhappy at his unprecedented three promotions in three years.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, was said to have expressed the fear that Ribadu was be alienated on account of this and had strongly recommended the course option.