AS controversy trails the whereabouts of former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, indications have emerged that he has since moved back to Abuja after being stopped from graduating from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) last Saturday.
Nigerian Tribune learnt authoritatively that he left Jos, Plateau State, escorted by a convoy of several vehicles with admirers and youths who wanted to prevent him from being arrested.
Also, despite his claim that he was not notified of the decision to stop him from graduating, fresh information coming out on the graduation controversy suggested that he might have been hinted of the decision to stop him from graduating last weekend, based on his alleged non-qualification for the title that the completion of the studies would have conferred on him.
This came as sources revealed that he was still being wanted by the EFCC over certain issues contained in his handover notes, which bordered on recovered monies and property.
Earlier reports had it that he was arrested after he was asked to leave the hall where the ceremony was being held, but all the security agencies had denied having him in their custody.
Checks with some of his close friends revealed that he might not have been arrested at all after accepting to leave the graduation venue and might have decided to maintain a low profile until all the noise surrounding his studies at Kuru subsided.
Though his friends refused to disclose his exact whereabouts, their concern was more on why he was treated the way he was and when his whereabouts was sought, one of them replied, “that does not even matter now. The question is why did they treat him that way?”
Another source, however, claimed that Ribadu might have deliberately created the scene at NIPPS on Saturday because he had allegedly been hinted that he would not be graduating after the Police Service Commission allegedly wrote to the institute that he could only be conferred with the title that comes with the completion of the programme, when he must have been duly promoted a Commissioner of Police.
Ribadu was accused by the source of a ploy to remain an issue in the media by going to the graduation ceremony in mufti when he allegedly knew that he would not graduate with others.
It was gathered from another source that Ribadu was not aware of the decision to stop him and that he did not wear his police ceremonial attire because he was advised by some of his top lawyer friends not to so do.
The rank that would go with the ceremonial attire was said to have been the main reason for his decision to go in mufti, because he was said to want to avoid a situation whereby he would be accused of not respecting the decision of constituted authority if he went with the rank of an Assistant Inspector General of Police.
A source noted he would have been arrested if he had attempted wearing the AIG rank. He was also said to have been advised that wearing a Deputy Commissioner of Police rank would have weakened his case against his demotion currently before a Lagos High Court.
On his invitation by the EFCC, a source disclosed that he was asked to come and clarify certain issues in his handover notes, on which the former acting Chairman, Ibrahim Larmode had been summoned and questioned.
Ribadu had gone to court to stop his invitation by EFCC, a request rejected by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. He was to appear before the commission penultimate Thursday but pleaded to have it shifted to the week’s Saturday, only for him to serve the commission with court’s processes last week.
Commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission still needed him to clear the air on some administrative issues and that there was no plan to arrest him.