Chairman of Nigeria’s Police Service Commission (PSC), Sir Mike Okiro, has rubbished claims by former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, that he plotted to have him killed during his (Okiro’s) days as Inspector General of Police.

Okiro in a statement issued in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, punctured Ribadu’s claims made during a court appearance in Britain, marshalling out points to prove that he couldn’t possibly be guilty as charged.

“I was tempted, as usual, to dismiss the allegations as mere rantings. But the locus where the remarks were made and the slanderous nature of the utterances demand that I should react swiftly to enlighten both Nigerian and foreign media on the truth of the matter,” Okiro said.

Continuing, he said: “Nuhu Ribadu while giving evidence in the case involving James Ibori in London said ‘Okiro withdrew my official car and police security.’ This is very far from the truth. Nuhu Ribadu went on a course to National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). He was not posted out of EFCC. His Deputy, Ibrahim Lamorde, was acting and holding forte. The vehicle(s) he was using belonged to EFCC where he was Chairman for about 6 years and could not have been withdrawn by the Police. The policemen he used as his security were those posted permanently to EFCC. Therefore the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had no role in their internal daily deployment.

“Thirdly, Nuhu Ribadu was on course as Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) and statutorily had to maintain his paraphernalia of security details. Nigerians will remember that Nuhu Ribadu once caused a newspaper publication to be made to the effect that he was attacked and shot at on his way to NIPSS but was saved because he was driving a bullet proof vehicle and the attackers could not stop him. He said that he suspected a retired Inspector-General of Police who had been monitoring him. I was then serving as IGP. I was angry that a serving Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) or even any AIG at all or a VIP, for that matter, was shot at and I was not briefed. I called him several times to give me details but he refused to pick my calls. I then sent signals to Commissioners of Police (CP) FCT Abuja, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau, the likely state commands where the incident could have taken place. They all replied that no such incident in their commands. Since I could not reach him I addressed a press conference where I stated that his claim of attack was false. I took that advantage also to ask him publicly to come up with details of the day and time and where the incident took place. Nuhu Ribadu never came up as directed. For him to turn round now and say that I was involved ‘in attempts to assassinate him’ demonstrated the double speak for which he is shamefully known. Lies, lies and lies. He was an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) under me. Why must I want to assassinate a subordinate officer?

“Nuhu Ribadu said he ‘was there when James Ibori nominated Mike Okiro to be IGP.’ Well, I was not there myself and cannot confirm or refute the claims. I am just hearing it now, for the first time. If he was there did he oppose it? I was appointed IGP on merit and seniority. Two years ago, after my retirement, Nuhu Ribadu told some of his friends that he did not obey my instructions and directives when I was IGP because he had been pencilled to take over as IGP from IGP Sunday Ehindero and he had been factored and positioned for the office when I came and usurped it, as if I appointed myself IGP or as if he himself is God to determine the course of nature. He claimed that he regarded me as an interloper who took the position reserved for him and so despised me and whatever I stood for.

“Nuhu Ribadu said in London that he ‘never respected’ me. This is unfortunate. In my culture we were brought up and trained to respect our seniors. I am Nuhu Ribadu’s senior in all outward manifestations and ramifications. I am older than him in age. I joined the Police before him. In fact, when he was a cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Police College Ikeja I was already a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and a member of Staff of the College and he passed under my tutelage. I was his senior in rank, for when he was a Superintendent of Police (SP) under CP Felix Ogbaudu in Force CID, Abuja, I was the Commissioner of Police Lagos State. When he was AIG I was IGP. I am more educated than him even if educational qualification was contested. I will not ask for, but demand for respect from Nuhu Ribadu as of right. For him to openly confess that he did not respect me evidently shows the kind of character he is. He is indisciplined. My people say ‘if you do not respect your seniors God will not put you in a position where you will command respect.’ I rest my case.

“Nuhu Ribadu said that Okiro is ‘the most corrupt police officer I have ever seen.’ Corruption is a cankerworm and is embedded in the person. It is not developed over night. I moved from ASP to IGP, from Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations (Ops), Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Operations, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Works, etc. I held positions of responsibility and trust. Nuhu Ribadu should come up with facts, even if manufactured or cooked up by him, to prove his allegation. If there were any such evidence why did he not take action against me as he had done in the past against a retired IGP?

“ ‘IGP Mike Okiro is a despicable human being.’ Nuhu Ribadu is a lawyer, but a second language (L2) user of English Language. Therefore I may excuse him for his improper use of the word here. Otherwise this may and will carry the import of what I discussed earlier on as his innate notorious and, of course, despicable penchant for despising constituted authority. Nuhu Ribadu is an invertebrate liar and must be treated as such.”

•Photo shows Sir Mike Okiro.