Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the National Security Adviser (NSA), is the first-ever NSA without a military background since Nigeria's return to democratic governance in 1999. The announcement of Ribadu's appointment was made by the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federal (OSGF) through a statement signed by Mr. Willie Bassey, the Director of Information. This appointment puts an end to speculations about the president considering a non-military individual for the position.
Ribadu, widely known as the first Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will become the third retired police officer, following in the footsteps of the late Gambo Jimeta and Ismaila Gwarzo, to hold this position. Born on November 21, 1960, Ribadu had an illustrious career as an intelligence police operative, retiring as an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG). He gained national recognition as a star prosecutor at the Oputa Panel, which was established to investigate human rights abuses during the military era.
Furthermore, Ribadu served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Special Revenue Task Force before becoming the pioneer Executive Chairman of the EFCC. The EFCC was entrusted with the responsibility of combating corruption and fraud in the country. Ribadu's pragmatic approach to intelligence gathering and crime-fighting during his tenure at the EFCC earned him global recognition and numerous awards.
His remarkable efforts led to Nigeria's removal from the Financial Action Task Force List of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories, the country's admission into the prestigious Egmont Group, and the withdrawal of the US Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory on Nigeria. Ribadu has also contributed to academic and policy discourse, having been a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development, a TED Fellow, and a Senior Fellow at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford, UK.
In the political arena, Ribadu ran for the presidency of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. Additionally, he had aspired to contest for the governorship of Adamawa state on two occasions but missed out during party primaries. This extensive background showcases Ribadu's diverse experience and qualifications for his new role as Nigeria's National Security Adviser.
[Source: NAN]
