Thieves worse than Ibori walking free – Ribadu

A former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has said that thieves worse than convicted former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori, are walking free in the country

“There are worse people than James Ibori in Nigeria. Probably, he was not the smartest one among them, but there are some crooks worse than James and I still see them. Some of them are even being celebrated right now in our country,” Ribadu said in a recent interview with Zero Tolerance, a magazine published by the EFCC’s media unit. Ibori is serving a 13-year jail sentence in the UK after a Southwark Crown Court 9 in London, on April 17, 2012, found him guilty of stealing and laundering billions of naira of Delta state money.

The former governor, who led Delta state between 1999 and 2007, was first investigated by the EFCC under Ribadu and later, under Farida Waziri.

Ribadu’s unceremonious exit from the post was largely blamed on the Ibori case as the former governor was a major backer of the then President, Umaru Yar’adua.

The case soon went cold after Ribadu’s removal, amid allegations that Ibori was shielded by the government with the support of the EFCC.

Waziri, who took over from Ribadu, has denied that claim in a separate interview with the same magazine.

She said it was her pursuit of Ibori that forced him out of the country to the United Arab Emirate, where he was eventually arrested and repatriated to Britain to face charges.

The Ibori case stirred further controversy after former President Olusegun Obasanjo told the same EFCC magazine that Waziri was appointed on Ibori’s recommendation. Again, Waziri denied that claim.

While Ribadu is widely regarded as the best hand yet to have headed the anti-graft agency, his critics say he was manipulated by Obasanjo to go after the former president’s political enemies. In his interview, Obasanjo dismissed that suggestion and spoke highly his achievements, but scathingly faulted Mrs. Waziri.

Ribadu said there were and still are, smarter criminals who did more damage to the fight against corruption in Nigeria than Ibori.

He said while he fought corruption passionately and diligently, he never took the effort personal as he strove to do only what was expected of him as a law enforcement officer.

He also said there were people who he investigated and brought to justice who attempted to do more damage to him than the former Delta governor.

“James was not different from all others; and while doing this type of work, they will fight you back. I have seen a lot of fighting back all my life, and that of James was not as bad as the others. His own was very public that is why. There are those that even attempted to kill me who are still out there. This is the type of work that when you do, you must expect a thing like that,” Ribadu said.

He criticised some judges, while also commending others. He said many criminals in Nigeria escape justice with the connivance of some judges. He said while Ibori was acquitted of 170 charges by a judge, another Federal High Court Judge “sent him to prison for two and a half months.”

Ribadu, now a stalwart of the opposition, All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Presidential flag bearer of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, in the 2011 election, also explained the circumstances that led to the arrest and prosecution of a former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun. He said the former IGP “crossed the line.”

“Whoever crosses the line will be dealt with, whether a constable or an

IGP, it is the same thing. The solution is not to cross the line,” he said.