ABUJA – Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, yesterday, postponed indefinitely, the investigation of the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.
This is even as President Muhammadu Buhari relieved the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, of his appointment.
In his place, Ibrahim Magu, a top level official of the Economic and Governance Unit of the EFCC, has been appointed.
Magu is remembered as a no-nonsense investigator of the commission at its inception.
He was removed along with several other key officials by Farida Waziri when she became chairman in 2008.
Lamorde’s exit is coming few days to the end of his four-year tenure. Former President Goodluck Jonathan had on November 23, 2011 named him the commission’s acting chairman after sacking Mrs. Farida Waziri as the chairman.
His appointment was later confirmed by the Senate on February 15, 2012. The EFCC boss would have completed his four-year term this month.
Sources volunteered that that President Buhari had personally informed Lamorde of his sack during their behind closed-doors meeting, shortly after he had inaugurated the new National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and five national commissioners.
Lamorde did not speak with reporters at the end of the encounter. Also as at the time of filing this report, the Presidency was yet to issue an official statement on the development.
Lamorde is currently being investigated over allegations of diversion of over N1trillion from the sale of confiscated properties belonging to convicted public officials including former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha and former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, among many others.
The decision to probe him was said to have been taken after one George Uboh appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on August 23 where he alleged that Lamorde dipped his hands into the said funds.
In December 2007 when Ribadu was removed by President Umaru Yar’Adua, Lamorde took over as Acting Chairman in January 2008, holding this position until Waziri was appointed Chairperson in May 2008.
He was then posted to Ningi in Bauchi State. In December 2010, Lamorde returned to the EFCC, again as Director of Operations. He replaced Stephen Otitoju, the acting Director of Operations.
The senate committee probing Lamorde had scheduled to commence business today before the indefinite adjournment.
Clerk to the committee, Mr. Freedom Osolo, in a statement did not give any reason for the sudden postponement.
“I regret to inform you that the hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions slated for Tuesday, November 10, 2015 has been postponed for the time being.
You will be duly informed when the meeting is rescheduled, please. The committee regrets any inconveniences the postponement would have caused you”, the statement read in part.
The clerk had on November 4, issued a statement stating that the committee would hold a public hearing with all petitioners and those they petitioned on Tuesday ( November 10), by 2:00pm at the Meeting Room 120, New Senate Building, National Assembly, Abuja.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, also confirmed to reporters that Lamorde would appear before his committee on Tuesday (today).
When contacted, Sen. Anyanwu also declined any reason for the postponement “I am in Lagos for an oversight function and I need to know the true position.”
