There are indications that fresh international pressure is being mounted on the Federal Government to stop the tactical removal of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu.
Ribadu is expected to resume at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies on February 11 for a one-year course.
The EFCC boss will be among participants of Senior Executive Course 30 of the institute.
The course is expected to run from February to November 2008.
Sources at the NIPSS told our correspondent on Monday that Ribadu would join other participants when they start registration on February 1, adding that and they would be formally inaugurated on Monday, February 11.
It was gathered that the registration would last for one week after which the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, whose office supervises the activities of the institute, will formally inaugurate them.
Efforts to get the registration formalities and programme of the inauguration were not successful as the source said that they have not been released.
There were however indications on Monday that the diplomatic community may have expressed some reservations about the turn of events at the EFCC.
According to a source, all European Union ambassadors to Nigeria had taken a joint position to the effect that the tactical removal of Ribadu might spell doom for the anti-corruption crusade of the government by sending a wrong signal to the international community.
In the same vein, international pressures are still mounting on the government to reconsider its position with the EU ministers sending a delegation to speak directly with President Musa Yar�Adua.
The ministers reportedly took this position after a meeting in Vienna on Monday where it was resolved that Ribadu�s ouster from the EFCC would be unhelpful to the government�s image, hence should be reversed.
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa, it was gathered, would be leading the delegation to Yar�Adua.
Meanwhile, the much publicised meeting between the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, and police personnel attached to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission rescheduled for Monday, was again cancelled at the instance of the Presidency.
Sources told our correspondent on Monday that though the EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was not supposed to be at the meeting, other concerned EFCC officials reported at the Louis Edet Force Headquarters for the failed meeting.
No reasons were given for the last minute action by the Presidency.