I Never Said Tinubu, Akume, Kalu Were Thieves As EFCC Chair

I Never Said Tinubu, Akume, Kalu Were Thieves As EFCC Chair – Ribadu

By - LCR 4 February 2025 Comments (0) 2 Mins Read

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The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has denied ever tagging President Bola Tinubu as a corrupt public official.

Ribadu, in a letter through his lawyers, also denied ever accusing Senator George Akume and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of stealing from the public treasury.

The NSA made the clarification while responding to an allegation that while he was the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he labelled the three politicians as governors in Nigeria who stole most from the public treasury.

Ribadu made the denial in response to a TikTok video by the leader of Northern Star, Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, who accused the NSA of going back to his vomit by serving in Tinubu’s presidency after initially accusing him of corruption when he was EFCC chairman.

He maintained that he had never privately or publicly accused the three leaders of corruption.

Ribadu, in the letter signed by his lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN), demanded a public apology and retraction within seven days from Muhammad or risk further legal action.

The letter reads: “Clearly, in the text of your recording you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, he allegedly named President Bola Tinubu, alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (all former Governors, and in that order) as the governors in Nigeria who stole the most from public treasury.

“You also stated that today, our client who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu has turned around to be his staunchest defender; especially, with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.

“You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu and other governors as thieves.

“Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.