The Nigerian government has asked for charges to be dropped against the former head of its anti-graft body who is on trial for failing to declare his assets while in office, his lawyer said Thursday. 'The federal government filed the application to discontinue the trial of Nuhu Ribadu before the code of conduct bureau. The application will be approved on April 8,' Femi Falana told selfnews. Ribadu, a senior police officer, was appointed by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to head the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was removed as head in controversial circumstances in December 2007 and accused of not declaring his assets while in office in compliance with the 1999 constitution. Anti-graft campaigners say that Ribadu fell foul of powerful former state governors by trying to bring them to justice over embezzlement charges, arguing that the anti-corrption war has lost steam since his removal. Transparency International still ranks Nigeria as one of most corrupt countries in the world. Lagos constitutional lawyer Festus Keyamo said the withdrawal of charges against the anti-graft czar was 'corruption at its best.' 'This singular action ... is likely to open an unwholesome floodgate of demands by corrupt persons who are facing trial for sundry offences to have their charges dropped,' said Keyamo in a statement. 'The (Goodluck) Jonathan administration has shown crass timidity and gross irresponsibility by this decision,' he said. 