Ribadu Becomes Nigeria’s First National Security Adviser From Non-military Background Since 1999

President Bola Tinubu on Monday appointed Nuhu Ribadu as National Security Adviser, the first without military background since the return to democratic governance in 1999.

The announcement of his appointment put to rest the speculations that the president might consider a non-military person for the position.

Mr Ribadu, pioneer EFCC chairman, will become the third retired police officer after the late Gambo Jimeta and Ismaila Gwarzo to be appointed to the position.

He was born on November 21, 1960, and was an intelligence police operative who retired as Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).

He came to the national limelight as a star prosecutor at the Oputa Panel, created to investigate human rights abuses during the military era.

He was later appointed chairman of the Petroleum Special Revenue Task Force before he became the pioneer EFCC chair. The federal government tasked the EFCC to counter corruption and fraud in the country.

Mr Ribadu’s pragmatic approach to intelligence gathering and crime-fighting while in EFCC earned him global recognition and awards. His remarkable efforts led to the de-listing of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force List of Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories, admission into the prestigious Egmont Group, and the withdrawal of the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory on Nigeria.

Mr Ribadu was 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.

Mr Ribadu ran for president on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. He had sought to contest Adamawa’s governorship on two accessions but missed out during party primaries.