The long-anticipated sack of embattled former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Comm-ission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the Nigeria Police Force happened yesterday when the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro, implemented the recommendation of dismissal by the Police Service Comm-ission (PSC).
The PSC met on Monday and considered the presentation made to it by the IGP on the recommendation of the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC).
At the end of deliberation, the PSC dismissed Ribadu for “acts of gross indiscipline, insubordination and absence from duty which are singularly and collectively acts punishable under rules 030401 of Public Service Rules 2006”.
Announcing the dismissal yesterday at Force Headqu-arters on behalf of Okiro, the Deputy Force Secretary, Suleman Abba, who is a Commissioner of Police, explained that the rules stated that “serious misconduct is a specific act of various wrong doing and improper behaviour which is inimical to the image of the service and which can be investigated and if proven, may lead to dismissal”.
According to him, Ribadu’s intransigence soon after his demotion along with 139 others by the PSC in August led to his sack from the force.
“Unlike the path taken by his other colleagues whose promotions were also withdrawn and have been performing their duties without acrimony, he refused to accept his fate or seek redress of any perceived injustice in the appropriate manner. Nuhu Ribadu’s case is not the only instance where officers have been reduced in rank in the history of Nigeria Police Force and hell was not let loose. His conduct is not only inimical to the enforcement of discipline in the Nigeria Police but it also created disharmony amongst officers and encouraged indiscipline among members of the Force,” Okiro said.
Among the series of misconducts levelled against Ribadu were improper dressing by appearing in plain clothes, while on official courtesy visit to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on November 13, 2008, a breach of rule 030301(k) of the Public Service Rules 2006, institution of legal proceedings against the IGP, Attorney-General of the Federation, and the PSC on October 2, 2008, also a violation of sections 352 and 367 of the Police Act and rules 030402 and 030301 of Public Service Rules 2006.
Ribadu was also accused of running foul of the listed sections of the Police Act and Public Service Rules by instituting legal proceedings against the EFCC and AGF purportedly to forestall complying with the directive to hand over official documents in his possession. The Police High Command considered this as disobedience to lawful order contrary to rules 030401 and 030301(m) of the Public Service Rules 2006.
He was also accused of ‘flagrant’ refusal to obey the order and directives of the IGP to report to the office of the IGP on November 24, 2008 on completion of his studies in addition to instituting legal proceedings against the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS, Abuja on December 2, 2008, failure to comply with directives to report at his new duty post which amounts to desertion and a breach of section 398 of the Police Act among other sundry misconduct.
The Police authorities said the “obvious consequences of the serious misconduct committed by Ribadu as highlighted above tantamount to dismissal from service. Refusal to accept posting or report for duty is a serious misconduct and may lead to dismissal in the Armed Forces and Police as such an action is inimical to national security. The Police Service Commission therefore met and considered the presentation made to it by the IGP on the recommendation of the Force Disciplinary Committee (FDC). At the end of deliberation, the Commission dismissed the officer from the Force for acts of gross indiscipline, insubordination and absence from duty which are singularly and collectively acts punishable under rules 030401 of Public Service Rules 2006.”
THISDAY gathered from a source close to the PSC that Ribadu was not sacked for going to court, but for going “AWOL” (absent without official leave).
“The PSC did not recommend for his (Ribadu’s) sack because he went to court. If we did that, that would have amounted to contempt of court. He was dismissed for abandoning his duty post in total disregard of the Police Act,” the source said.
The source noted that although Ribadu had gone to court, there was no injunction from the court barring the Nigeria Police Force from posting him, stopping him from going to work or appearing before the disciplinary committee that was constituted by the police high command.
The source said that the decision to sack the former Chairman of the EFCC was unanimous as the five members of the PSC, who were present at the Monday meeting, voted to show him the way out of the force.
The PSC is made up of seven members. The late Justice Ejiwunmi has not been replaced while another member is bereaved, having lost his wife.
About 50 other cases bordering on dismissals, promotions and reduction in ranks were treated.
The meeting, which is the last for the year, started by 10am and dragged on late into the night “because of the several matters the PSC had to consider,” the source said.
According to the source, Ribadu’s case was the last to be considered and it took more than two hours before the five members could arrive at a decision.
The source disclosed that the Parry Osayande-led commission sought legal advice from within and outside the PSC over the Ribadu matter.
“We had to look at the matter (Ribadu’s case) step by step because of the interest it has generated. We wanted to do a thorough job to convince all that he deserved to be dismissed,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Ribadu’s counsel, Mr. Charles Musa, has described the dismissal as a flagrant abuse of the constitution, disregard of judicial process, and a mockery of the rule of law.
He added that the only option left for his client was to head to the court of law and challenge the dismissal, saying there was no gainsaying that justice would be done.
“We have received with great disbelief the purported dismissal of our client, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the Nigeria Police Force. We want to put on record that this is an act of flagrant abuse of the Constitution, disregard of judicial process, and a mockery of the rule of law. The decision will be challenged in the court of law. It is our belief that justice would be done in the matter,” he said.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) said the dismissal was clearly the act of an evil, lawless and corrupt government.
Dec242008