Pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu was once poisoned in the course of his duties as anti-corruption czar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed.

“On one occasion, Mr. Ribadu was poisoned,” Obasanjo said yesterday while speaking at an international forum on 3rd Tana High Level Forum on Security in Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He also disclosed that Ribadu created enemies for him because of the ruthlessness with which he carried out his responsibilities of tackling corruption in Nigeria.

Obasanjo, who was the chairperson of the Tana Forum, spoke following a presentation on ‘Illicit Financial Flow and Governance of Natural Resources’ made by Ribadu, affirmed that he had known from experience that the fight against corruption attracts a lot of enemies.

In his presentation, Ribadu offered measures African countries should follow to tackle illicit financial flow and repatriate money already illegally taken out of the African countries.

He said what Africa needs is honest and committed leaders who will set examples with themselves by eschewing corruption and close in avenues of illicit financial flow.

According to him, it is the seriousness demonstrated by the political leadership that will convince other foreign countries to work with them towards recovering looted monies stashed abroad.

Ribadu led the EFCC between 2003 and 2007. He won acclaim for his effort against corruption as he clamped down on very senior officials and government, including former governors.

His record is widely regarded as the best yet for the commission but also he was also accused of taking on only those opposed to Obasanjo. He was replaced after Obasanjo left office.

On why Ribadu succeeded as EFCC Chairman, Obasanjo said he made it clear to Ribadu that there should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. Obasanjo said he was investigated alongside his late wife, Stella.

He spoke about how a serving minister, who was his senior in secondary school, was indicted and prosecuted by the EFCC. At that point, he said, “there was no issue of senior again”.

Obasanjo said the former EFCC chairman was once poisoned and he considered that a very serious “a matter of life and death.”

•Rewritten from reports in Vanguard and Daily Independent. Photo shows Nuhu Ribadu.