N1trillion Saga: Confusion As FG Orders EFCC To Probe Sitting Chairman, Lamorde
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The Federal Ministry of Justice has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence investigation into the allegation that the agency’s chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, diverted about N1 trillion proceeds of corruption recovered by the anti-graft agency.
The request follows a petition dated September 18, 2015, sent to the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Abdullahi Yola.
The petition was filed by a security expert and Chief Executive Officer of a security firm, Panic Alert Security Systems (PASS), George Uboh.
Uboh sent a reminder letter dated September 28, to Yola, threatening to sue the ministry, if he failed to respond to his petition within seven days.
In the petition, Uboh asked the Justice Ministry, “through which EFCC derives its power to immediately rescind the fiat to prosecute criminal suspects from EFCC”.
He also sought a “fiat for the prosecution of EFCC’s past and present leadership and their known and unknown co-conspirators via the 22-page preliminary criminal charges the undersigned has prepared.”
The ministry’s letter, signed by the Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Muhammad Diri, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, is dated October 8, 2015.
The letter made available to reporters in Abuja yesterday, reads: “I refer to your letter dated September 28, 2015, in respect of the above mentioned subject matter.
“I am directed to inform you that your petition has been sent to the EFCC for their response to the allegation contained therein.
“The commission has been directed by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary to forward the result of its investigation as soon as it is completed.
“Accept please, the assurances of the highest regards of the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary.”
It remains to be seen how the EFCC will successfully launch an investigate on its own head.
Lamorde, still presides over commission activities, and routinely receives foreign and local agencies who pay courtesy visits.
Uboh has, however, argued that “pursuant to the Civil Service Rules, Ibrahim Lamorde must step aside during the pendency of the investigation by the commission”.
He had alleged that Lamorde diverted among others, the loot recovered from a former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and an ex-Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun.
