Posted by From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation on
THE stage is getting set for a legal battle over the dismissal of form-er Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Riba-du by the police.
THE stage is getting set for a legal battle over the dismissal of form-er Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Nuhu Riba-du by the police.
Ribadu yesterday held a closed door session with his counsel Charles Musa in his Abuja home.
The meeting was said to be preparatory to his legal battle against the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Police.
It was learnt that Ribadu and his defence team reviewed the content of the sack letter from the Police and his pending legal assault.
It was gathered that a coalition of lawyers would represent the ex-EFCC chairman.
Musa said: "We are ready to go to court after the holidays.
"We have always worked with a team of lawyers to defend Ribadu's fundamental human rights. This case will not be different from our normal approach."
Ribadu has shunned pressure by friends and relatives to relocate abroad to fight his cause.
A source said: "Since this problem started, Ribadu has been advised by friends and associates to move out of the country because it appears some forces are just desperately out to deal with him.
"But in his patriotic manner, the former EFCC chairman has always insisted that he would remain in Nigeria to fight his cause.
"He believes that he has not committed any criminal offence and there is no basis for relocating abroad.
Musa also denied insinuations that Ribadu might relocate abroad.
He said: "I was with my client in his house today; he has not relocated anywhere. Ribadu is in Abuja. To the best of my knowledge, he is not going anywhere."
A human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, yesterday said Ribadu would laugh last in his legal battle against the PSC and the police.
Falana said: "Once a matter has gone to court, you should allow it to run its full course. What the PSC and the Nigeria Police did was actually contempt of court.
"They should have waited for the decision of the court before rushing to dismiss Ribadu from the police.
"What the regime has done is to expose its alleged rule of law policy to public ridicule."
Citing judicial precedent, Falana added: "Ribadu was not the first police officer to sue the PSC and the IGP. An officer who sued the PSC and the police recently won his case. So, Ribadu should be hopeful."