Revealed: How I Jailed Tafa Balogun and Rejected James Ibori's $15million Bribe - Nuhu Ribadu (Photo+Video)

 

In a passionate talk at the TEDx Talk in Berlin, Germany, a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, revealed what he passed through to do his work to rid Nigeria of corruption as he reveals that over $60billion looted funds left Africa yearly.

 

He talked about the top-guns, politicians and people he arrested and convicted during his days as the EFCC Chairman. He revealed that the ex-Delta State Governor James Ibori attempted to bribe him with $15million in two big bags, but he resisted. Ribadu said the bribe was, however, deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to serve as evidence against him.

 

In an 18-minute video, he revealed details that would shock many about his anti-corruption cases in Nigeria. Ribadu said: “Do you know that every year, $60billion leaves Africa illegally? This figure is from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

 

He talked about the convicted former governor of Delta state, James Ibori who was convicted twice for stealing in the UK in the 90's before he ran back to Nigeria where he was elected into office. He explained how he resisted the $15million bribe from Ibori. He explained that James stole over half of his state's money.

 

Ribadu said: “Ibori approached me with $15million to stop his investigation. I called my people because the money was in big bags, which two people could not carry and we deposited it in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as evidence against him.

 

On the trial and conviction of ex-Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun, the former EFCC chairman said the case was a by-product of the investigation of Emmanuel Nwude, who duped a Brazilian bank of $254m.

 

He said: “The case of Nwude made us to be more determined. In the course of his case, I stumbled on an account belonging to my boss, Tafa Balogun. I arrested him, he was tried and convicted, and I recovered enough from him.

 

On the $184m Halliburton scandal, Ribadu said: “A gang of foreigners stole from Nigeria” from a $6 billion natural gas contract won by a consortium of four international companies.

 

Ribadu added: “I first got hint of the case in France. I returned home and tried to investigate the case, but it was very difficult or probably impossible because the companies were not there in Nigeria, they didn't have account there, the people were not there. They had left.

 

Nuhu Ribadu is founding chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the organization that changed the narrative of the fight against corruption and financial crimes in Nigeria. The revelations he made shows how corrupt Nigeria is and the many evil being perpetuated by the political elite against their own people. As he calls for a hand of fellowship in the fight against corruption, only people who are moved by a desire for uprightness can take up the challenge.

 

The results of his work at the EFCC, most notable amongst which are the delisting of Nigeria from the FATF’s List of Non-Cooperative Countries & Territories, admission into the prestigious Egmont Group and the withdrawal of the US Treasury advisory on Nigeria by the FINCEN, were critical to the perception of Nigeria, globally.

 

He had also attracted donor supports from European Union (EU), UNODC, UNDP, World Bank, and a host of others running into millions of US dollars, and also built an effective collaborative effort with the FBI, SOCA [UK], Metropolitan Police, Dutch Police, German Police, South African Police and a host of other law enforcement agencies in the world.