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Nigeria corruption fighter Nuhu Ribadu may return

Nuhu Ribadu fled Nigeria in fear of his life
The Nigerian government has requested the withdrawal of criminal charges against Nuhu Ribadu, the former head of the anti-corruption agency.

Mr Ribadu faces charges of not declaring his assets while in office.

The request is seen as paving the way for the appointment of Mr Ribadu as a special advisor on fighting corruption to acting President, Goodluck Jonathan.

On Wednesday, Nigeria's Senate approved 38 of Mr Jonathan's 39 nominees for a new cabinet.

As head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ribadu brought more than 1,000 cases to court.

Before his appointment no company in Nigeria had ever been charged for bribery.

But in 2007 he was removed in controversial circumstances and later charged with not declaring his assets while in office, a contravention of the 1999 constitution.

Anti-corruption campaigners say Mr Ribadu had upset powerful former state governors by trying to bring them to justice for alleged embezzlement.

He is currently in the United States but says he wants to return to Nigeria one day.

Mr Jonathan was named acting leader in February due to the on-going illness of President Umaru Yar'Adua, who has not been seen in public since November 2009.

Mr Ribadu was sacked shortly after Mr Yar'Adua won elections



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8599528.stm?