Posted by From Mariam Aleshinloye Agboola, JOS and Christopher Oji, Lagos on
Confusion now reigns at the nation's foremost think-tank institution, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, over the demotion of one of the participants of Senior Executive Course 30 of the institute, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as his present rank now falls below entry requirement into the institution.
Confusion now reigns at the nation's foremost think-tank institution, the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, over the demotion of one of the participants of Senior Executive Course 30 of the institute, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as his present rank now falls below entry requirement into the institution.
Similarly, speculation is rife that the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may resign from the police force. Though this could not be confirmed at press time on Wednesday, but a reliable source at Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja told Daily Sun: 'It is not unlikely that Ribadu have thrown in his letter of resignation. What else do you expect him to do than to resign? He has fallen from Olympian height.
His career has been dented; the only option left to him is to quit. It is true (that he may have resigned) because his chances of continuing in the service is very dicey.'
Ribadu was demoted from the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) to a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) by the Police Service Commission, a step that is three times below his level.
The former EFCC boss, who has only a month to complete his course at NIPSS, was sent to the institution by President Umar Yar'Adua after he was removed as EFCC chairman.
But the authorities of the school are now in confusion as his present rank has fallen below the entry requirement for participants into the institution.
Acting Director General of the Institute who is also the Institute's Director of Administration and Finance, Dr. Yakubu Sankey, said in Kuru on Wednesday that the hands of the management were tied over what to do with Ribadu.
Sankey explained that the minimum qualification for any police officer to be admitted as participant into the institute is the rank of Commissioner of Police and such officer must be a degree holder and must have at least eight years to retirement.
He said with the development in the police, the institute was confused because Ribadu was more than half way into the programme, stressing that the institute had never experienced such a situation before.
According to him: 'The development in the police is a surprise to us here. They were the one who sent him here and he is more than half way through his programme, so what do we do? This is the first time we are facing this kind of situation.
'I am waiting for instruction from above. I don't think it is wise for us to say anything on the issue, more so that police authorities had not briefed us on the demotion. We are just reading it on the pages of newspapers. We cannot just say go away on the basis of what we read in the dailies. I am waiting for directive from above until I hear from above I cannot do otherwise.'
Dr. Sankey explained that the institute had had cause in the past to accommodate those in the cadre of deputy director from the federal civil service based on the recommendations of their ministries, though part of the criteria for civil service is the position of director and above.
On Wednesday, when Daily Sun correspondent visited NIPSS, it was gathered that Ribadu, along with others, was in class attending a lecture.
Efforts to speak to him were rebuffed by security staff of the institute.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kassim Bala, when contacted said the state police command was aware of the development, but had not been given any directive on the fate of Ribadu.