Nigeria’s Nuhu Ribadu Says He Will Not Return To Nigeria Now.

MALLAM NUHU RIBADU.

San Francisco (THEWILL) - Former boss of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, Nuhu Ribadu has ruled out the possibility of returning to Nigeria to defend himself against charges that he allegedly did not declare his assets while he was chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Speaking on a BBC World Service Outlook show, Ribadu told how he was removed from office shortly after the end of the Obasanjo administration in 2007, and why he will not return to Nigeria now.

Ribadu was technically eased out of the EFCC when he was sent to “study” at an institute in northern Nigeria. “I was dismissed. There was a clear signal that no one should do anything about fighting corruption.”

After his controversial dismissal, attempts were made at his life twice. He was forced to leave the country for his own safety. It is alleged that those he prosecuted had tried to get him killed. He has repeatedly blamed his troubles on former Delta State governor, James Ibori, who he arrested and prosecuted for alleged embezzlement of public funds while he was governor of the oil rich state.

“Some people were hired, and their responsibility was to get me. They came quite close. The individual behind the driver brought out his hand and shot three shots at my car. Luckily my car is bulletproof. I left the country the next day.”

The former policeman maintains that the charges against him were trumped-up to lure him back to Nigeria to punish him for standing up against corrupt politicians and officials in government.

“The reason they are doing that is simply thinking, lets get him back in to the country. We’ll seize his own documents, possibly get him behind bars. Its as much as saying go and get killed. I think that is not right. I love life. I want to live.

However, Nuhu Ribadu has vowed to continue his fight against corruption till the end and promised to return home later. “I will certainly go back to Nigeria, it is not over.”