Obasanjo reveals how Ribadu was poisoned during his tenure as EFCC chairman

FORMER Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was once poisoned by politicians he was investigating for corruption in an attempt to silence him and end his probing of their activities.

 

These startling revelations revealed by former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo at the Third Tana High Level Forum on Security in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, indicate that Nigeria's elite will go to any lengths to get their way. Chief Obasanjo revealed that Mallam Ribadu created enemies for him because of the ruthlessness with which he carried out his responsibilities of tackling corruption in Nigeria.

Chief Obasanjo, who spoke following a presentation on Illicit Financial Flow and Governance of Natural Resources by Mallam Ribadu, affirmed that he had known from experience that the fight against corruption attracts a lot of enemies. Adding that Mallam Ribadu took on a lot of highly connected people in his fight against corruption, Chief Obasanjo revealed that his poisoning caused a scare in several quarters.

 

He pointed out that once Mallam Ribadu was appointed, he gave him a free hand and that the EFCC boss even investigated him, his late wife and several persons close to him at the time. Chief Obasanjo also narrated a story of how a serving minister, who was his senior in secondary school was indicted and prosecuted by the EFCC, adding that when the minister was found wanting, there was no issue of seniority again.

Chief Obasanjo, who is also the chairperson of the Tana Forum, re-echoed Mallam Ribadu’s submission that at the centre of anti-corruption fight there was the need for willing political leadership at the highest level. He, however, added that the leader also needs relevant legislations to work with, narrating his experience with the bill establishing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, which, he said, was whittled down by lawmakers, who felt they could be victims of the law.

In his presentation, Mallam Ribadu offered measures African countries could take to tackle illicit financial flow and repatriate money already illegally taken out of the African countries. He said what Africa needed was honest and committed leaders who would set examples with themselves by eschewing corruption and close avenues of illicit financial flow.

According to him, it is the seriousness and commitment showed by the political leadership that will convince other foreign countries to work with them towards recovering looted monies stashed abroad. Mallam Ribadu also emphasised the need for concerted effort among countries and a synergy between law enforcement agencies so that looters could be caught.