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Tag: Lamorde

  • Buhari sends EFCC chair Lamorde on terminal leave

    Buhari sends EFCC chair Lamorde on terminal leave

    Magu takes over

    The man Magu

    Acting EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Mustafa Magu like Lamorde, is also an assistant commissioner of police.

    The man who is due to take over today, served as head of the EFCC’s Economic Governance Unit (EGU) during Nuhu Ribadu’s tenure.

    He is a trained financial crimes investigator with background in forensic accounting. He also trained at the FBI institute and the London Metropolitan Police Institute.

    Magu gained public attention when he led many high profile investigations against some former governors.  He is a member of the investigative committee probing the $2billion arms purchase deals during the Jonathan administration.

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde was set yesterday to wave a final bye to his prized job.

    President Muhammadu Buhari,  a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said, approved Mr. Ibrahim Magu’s appointment as acting chairman of the anti-graft agency. Lamorde is going on terminal leave.

    “Mr. Magu, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police, is to take over from Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, who is proceeding on terminal leave ahead of the formal expiration of his tenure in February, next year,” the statement said.

    Magu headed the agency’s investigation unit during the tenure of pioneer chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

    Magu, a crack detective, is a member of the panel probing the $2billion military arms deal during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    According to a Presidency source, Lamorde’s exit was conveyed to him early in the day but his exit was handled  with dignity by the President.

    A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “The EFCC chairman has been removed following some allegations against him and security report.

    “The Senate is looking into alleged mismanagement of N1.3trillion recovered by the anti-graft agency. The Presidency was uncomfortable with some disclosures by the petitioner, George Uboh.

    “While the government does not want to tamper with the ongoing probe by the Senate, it believes it is untidy to allow the EFCC chairman to be rubbished. It is better for Lamorde to step aside.”

    Another factor, which was said to have accounted for the exit of Lamorde was a security report on his alleged relationship with some former officials of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    It was gathered that the Presidency was angry that the EFCC did not take action on former Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke until the National Crimes Agency in the United Kingdom invited her for questioning.

    The government’s thinking, it was learnt, was that there were sufficient grounds to prevent Diezani from travelling to the UK.

    It was also learnt that the EFCC bid its time in managing the investigation of former Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Akpabio when sister agencies raised the alarm.

    Akpabio led the PDP Caucus in the Senate to defend Lamorde when the allegation of N1.3trillion fraud was made.

    A statement was signed  by Akpabio, Sen. Phillip Aduda and Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha.

    It said: “The PDP leadership in the Senate is not against any committee of the Senate performing its oversight duties and or functions but we feel that this is not the appropriate time to embark on this most important assignment, particularly since this same action was mooted and has failed at previous plenary session.

    “We therefore urge the committee to suspend its public hearing on this particular matter until further notice.”

    The EFCC  has battled in the last few months to protect its  image and that of Lamorde.

    It said there was no diversion of either cash or assets seized from a former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun and former Bayelsa Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

    The commission said Balogun forfeited N2, 258,100,516.87 in 11 accounts, including accruing interest.

    It also said the N3, 128, 230, 294.83 realised from the assets of Alamieyeseigha was remitted to the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Finance in favour of Bayelsa State.

    The EFCC made the clarifications through  its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, against the backdrop of allegations by a whistle-blower, Uboh.

    Uboh had in a petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition claimed that Lamorde and EFCC could not account for over N1trillion.

    But the EFCC said the cash and assets seized from the two convicts were intact.

    As part of the security report, a petition by a lawyer, Leo Ekpenyong  to President Muhammadu Buhari was also said to have triggered Lamorde’s exit.

    Ekpenyong said in part: “It would be recalled that sequel to my petitions against the former Governor Akpabio’s administration dated 8th, 22nd June and August 3rd respectively, the Senate Minority leader was invited by the EFCC and after his departure from the Commission he bragged to his supporters that Lamorde was under his control and nothing reasonable would come out of his investigation.

    “ It was against this  background that I raised the alarm, urging the Federal Government to sack Lamorde since it was apparent that justice would not be done to our petitions taking into consideration the deliberate and unnecessary delays at investigations and possible prosecution.

    ”During my interview on a guest show (O and M) televised by AIT, I accused Ibrahim Lamorde of having interests in contracts awarded by Akwa Ibom State government. This fact Senator Akpabio mentioned to me on June 22nd, 2015.

    ”Ostensibly angered by this allegation, Lamorde summoned me on October 26th via the head of its economic governance unit and for nine (9) hours battled by compulsion to get me recant my allegation and withdraw my petitions against Akpabio. I stood my ground and maintained that the EFCC leadership was “hand in gloves” with Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    ”On November 2nd, one DSP Chuks Ibe from the FCT Police Command invited me to answer to a petition written against me by Lamorde. During the course of this interrogation, DSP Chuks Ibe dictated how I should write my statement and personally informed me of his interactions with Senator Godswill Akpabio.

    “Consequently, on November 5th, 2015 during my routine interview session at the FCT Command, I was led before the Gudu District Upper Area Court on a malicious charge of defamation and giving false information.

    ”The excruciating persecution between the EFCC and the police reveals the conspiracy theory involving the trio of Godswill Akpabio, IGP Solomon Arase and Ibrahim Lamorde.”

    There was also concern last night that Lamorde’s running battle with a former acting director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit(NFIU), Juliet Ibekaku, accounted for his removal.

    “The crisis of confidence between Lamorde and Ibekaku was dirty. She made many documents available to the Presidency, “ said an insider.

  • Senate postpones Lamorde’s probe indefinitely

    Senate postpones Lamorde’s probe indefinitely

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Monday postponed indefinitely the investigation of the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde.

    The committee had scheduled to commence the probe of the EFCC boss on Tuesday.

    The Clerk to the committee, Mr. Freedom Osolo, who stated this in a statement in Abuja, did not give any reason for the sudden postponement.

    Osolo said: “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 clerk had on November 4, issued a statement saying 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.

    Anyanwu also failed to give any reason for the postponement when he was contacted on telephone.

    He simply said, “I am in Lagos for an oversight function and I need to know the true position.”

     

     

  • Funds diversion: Senate resumes Lamorde’s probe next week

    Funds diversion: Senate resumes Lamorde’s probe next week

    Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on Monday said it will resume investigation into the allegation of corruption against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, next week.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanuwu, stated this in Abuja while answering questions from reporters.

    Anyanwu noted that the committee suspended the investigation for about three weeks when it first met Lamorde and granted him an extension of time to prepare for his defence.

    He also said that it was not possible for the committee to resume the probe as scheduled because it fell within the annual recess of the National Assembly.

    He said that many of the committee members travelled out of Abuja during the recess.

    He noted that when the Senate resumed from the long vacation, Senators faced the task of ministerial screening and confirmation of nominees.

    It will be recalled that the committee had its first sitting on the petition on August 26, 2015, where the petitioner, Dr. George Uboh, appeared before the lawmakers to make his submissions.

    Dr. Uboh had in his petition, which he submitted to the Senate, accused the chairman of the anti-graft agency of diversion of money recovered from politicians, who looted the nation’s treasury when they served the country in various capacities.

     

     

  • Anti-graft war: We don’t torture suspects in EFCC, says Lamorde

    Anti-graft war: We don’t torture suspects in EFCC, says Lamorde

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) does not obtain statement from suspects under duress, its chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said yesterday.

    He said the state-of-the-art recording facilities in the EFCC interrogation rooms would not allow any investigator to humiliate a suspect.

    He, however, pleaded with Western nations to reject and return stolen funds.

    Lamorde, who made the clarifications during a visit by two officials of Amnesty International (AI), said corruption was the worst form of human rights abuse.

    He said: “The EFCC follows the rule of law. Our statements are recorded and are not taken under duress. Our rooms have cameras in them. So, it is not possible to humiliate anyone.”

    He urged Western countries to continue to reject and return stolen funds.

    Lamorde added: “Western countries must end the impoverisation of developing countries. They must reject and return stolen funds, so that respective governments of the affected developing countries could use the money to better the lives of the poor in their countries.

    “It is the commonwealth of the people that has been diverted for private use. So, it is the worst form of human rights abuse. When corruption and impunity become the order of the day, human rights abuses flourish.

    “When you consider the cause of water-borne diseases suffered by people in rural areas, it is because someone has diverted the funds meant for pipe-borne water in those areas.

    ‘Also, when you consider the fact that our hospitals lack basic amenities, it is because some people have kept the funds allocated to the hospitals to themselves. I, therefore, urge you to consider partnering the EFCC.”

    On his part, the Senior Director, Office of the Secretary General of Amnesty International, Mr. Colm O Cuanachain, said  nations that take anti-corruption war seriously would experience “phenomenal growth”.

    Cuanachain, who expressed the readiness of AI to partner EFCC, also talked about the activities of the AI in the Northeast, the Niger Delta and Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he said corruption had contributed to human rights violation.

    He decried the death penalty as punishment for looters of the treasury.

    “It is not the best option in the fight against corruption,” he said.

    The Executive Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, M.K. Ibrahim, emphasised the need for the people to be educated on the effects of corruption and human rights violations.

     

  • Tracing looted funds, assets abroad cumbersome – Lamorde

    Tracing looted funds, assets abroad cumbersome – Lamorde

    The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, has said that tracing looted funds and assets abroad is cumbersome.

    He recommended the establishment of special courts to fast track prosecution of suspects on trial for corruption.

    He also said the EFCC has written the Senate on the alleged diversion of N1.3trillion seized from convicts.

    He said it was unfortunate that some people behind the allegation do judge others by their standards.

    Lamorde made the disclosures in an interview with BBC which was reproduced in EFCC Alert Magazine and made available to journalists in Abuja on Monday.

    He said: “You see, whatever you do, one must be conscious that it is within the ambit of the law, so there are no shortcuts to investigating and prosecuting corruption cases. Everything must be done according to what the law provides.

    “People expect magic and it doesn’t work that way. In developed countries of the world, if we look at all corruption cases, none of their investigations and prosecutions has lasted less than five years.

    “I give you the example of James Ibori (a former governor of Delta State), that is serving jail term in United Kingdom. We started working with the Metropolitan Police on this case around 2005, they didn’t go to court until 2009 or 2010 and some of the processes are still in court like the confiscation process.

    “Nobody keeps resources, funds or assets in their names within the jurisdiction where they commit such offences. Most times, they move out of their immediate jurisdiction. So, the processes of tracking these assets and funds that are stolen are cumbersome.

    “Once it is not done within your jurisdiction, it becomes issues of cooperation with other law enforcement agencies in other countries and that takes time.

    “Not only that, trying to identify these assets also takes a lot of resources and time.”

    On alleged diversion of N1.3trillion by EFCC, Lamorde said the anti-graft agency has written the Senate on issues raised by a petitioner, George Uboh.

    He added: “It’s true that such allegation has been made but we have written to the Senate. We have respectfully responded to the letter of invitation sent to us, explaining why we were not able to go by the date given. We think that based on what we have written to them, a new date should be given to us for us to engage them to discuss the issue concerned.

    “We have engaged the services of a reputable audit firm since last year to work on all assets that have been seized and recovered by the EFCC.

    “We want to have a comprehensive report that will stand the test of time. I’m not only talking about 2012 to 2015 that I am in charge of affairs, I asked them to look from the day the commission was created, that is April 2003 to date, so that we have a comprehensive report we can put in public space. Any person who has issues with that can challenge it and we will look at it.

    “You see, people judge others by their standards. If they are entrusted with public funds, they will misuse it. So they just assume every other person can do the same. So, they look at you from their own perspective of what they may do or what they are doing. I think that is what is happening.

    Lamorde also said he is in support of the creation of special courts to try financial crimes suspects

    He said the special courts would hasten the trial of suspects accused of corrupt practices.

     

  • EFCC wants Buhari to reform judiciary

    EFCC wants Buhari to reform judiciary

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reform the judiciary in a way that will assist the commission in its fight against corruption.

    The Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde stated this at a two-day workshop on Budget Monitoring and Tracking, organized for NGOs, CBOs, Media and local government staff in Akure, Ondo State.

    Lamorde, who was represented by the EFCC Director, Public Affairs Department, Mr. Osita Nwajah, lamented that they have always been clash between the act guiding the activities of the commission and the constitution of the country.

    The EFCC chief urged the federal government to establish a “Special Court” that would only focus on corruption cases.

    He said, “It was the EFCC that proposed the Special Court and we have not relented on that. If you study the EFCC act very well, there is some movement in that direction which says that the court should not entertain interlocutory applications in the course of the trial – that is people cannot come to say let us stop the main trial and let us argue the non-substantive issue.

    “But then, it is also inconsistence with the relevant of the constitution which guarantee access to judicial process of every Nigerian. So you cannot abridge that right and so far it is inconsistent with the constitution. That provision cannot operate, that is why we have this interlocutory things coming up so often.

    “It is so bad that in the cases of two former governors we have on trial, some of the people you are hearing about would have gone to the Supreme Court on Interlocutory applications. They have dragged us to the Supreme Court and the usual process in Nigeria is that anytime such process comes up you will keep the substantive matter aside and address the concern as raised by the defence.”

     

  • 2015: EFCC cannot ban corrupt candidates – Lamorde

    2015: EFCC cannot ban corrupt candidates – Lamorde

    The Chairman of the Economic and Finacial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, on Wednesday said the agency cannot ban corrupt candidates from seeking elective offices in 2015 because of legal constraints.

    He said the EFCC can only advise appropriate authorities and political parties who are free to accept or not the agency’s opinion on such matter.

    But he said the agency is already prosecuting some anti- corruption crusaders, who had abused its Anti-Corruption Revolution (ANCOR) mobilization platform.

    He also said it had been difficult to tackle corruption in some countries because of the failure by state parties and governments to actively engage the civil society and the private sector.

    Lamorde made the clarifications in a chat with newsmen after unveiling the new EFCC-Civil Society Partnership Against Corruption and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja.

    He said: “If you are conversant with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, only the court of law can ban corrupt candidates from contesting. We can only advise the appropriate authorities and political parties on candidates. We cannot prevent them unless a competent court of law does so.

    “You have to know where the responsibility of the EFCC starts and ends. When we take people to court, our duty is to prosecute them. But some of these accused persons/ suspects are taking advantage of the criminal laws.

    “The unfortunate aspect for us is that when such criminal proceedings are delayed, you start having witness fatigue. Some of the witnesses would have died and some officers transferred.”

    He expressed regrets that some cases filed by EFCC against suspects, including politically exposed persons, since 2006 were still pending.

    He added: “We have cases we filed since 2006; we have been going in and out of the Supreme Court because of applications here and there.

    “We cannot change what is obtainable at the court because the laws of the land allow people to go to court. Some people are delaying cases to the detriment of the people of Nigeria and the affected states.

    “The outcome of these cases would have definitely defined what people will get. These funds to be recovered ought to be used for the development of these states.

    He admitted that the ANCOR, which was launched in 2008 was good but it had been abused.

    He said: “As good as the concept was, the programme was soon bedeviled by several challenges, including some of the vices it had set out to curb. There was for instance, cases of outright abuse of the programme by some members, who fraudulently procured vehicles, sewed throw own uniforms, opened their own offices where they received and ‘investigated’ alleged petitions, interrogated ‘suspects,’ and generally had a field day blackmailing and extorting innocent members of the public!

    “The commission is currently prosecuting some of such unscrupulous members of ANCOR.

    “Administratively, ANCOR was also discovered not to have adequate data bank of partners and there was generally, poor monitoring of their activities.

    “It was in the light of these observations that the commission decided to review the ANCOR programme. The MoU Signing and unveiling of the modus operandi of the overhauled ANCOR is the outcome of the work of a select committee of representatives, the different sections of the society from which ANCOR had drawn its original life-force.”

    He said the agency was also saddled with the responsibility of preventing the commission of economic and financial crimes.

     

  • 773 convictions secured so far by EFCC, says Lamorde

    773 convictions secured so far by EFCC, says Lamorde

    The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde,yesterday gave an update on the achievements of the agency since inception in 2003 and said it has  so far secured   773 convictions.

    Billions of naira has  also been  recovered by the agency from convicts,he said  in Sokoto.

    He was presenting a paper entitled  ‘’ Students should lead the fight against economic and financial crimes,’’ at the launch  of the  Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto chapter of Zero Tolerance Club- ZTC.’’

    Lamorde who was represented by Mr Osita Nwajah, Deputy Director, Public Affairs Department of the Commission, said  economic and financial  crimes  constitute a great challenge to the Nigerian economy and  the  nation’s image both at home and abroad.

    ‘’ The commission  has  been re-orienting Nigerians to not only see the devastating effects of corruption, economic and financial crimes in all facets of our lives, but to rise up and do something about it,” he said.

    Lamorde, however, warned  students to desist from using the internet to defraud innocent people and called attention to the arrest,on a daily ,of  offenders in various cases of internet scams.

    ‘’ And 65 per cent of these people are undergraduates . Please learn to use the internet positively,’’ Lamorde, charged.

    The EFCC  Boss noted that it hurts so much to see the future leaders of

    Nigeria languishing in jails , adding , ‘’ but the law must take its course.’’

    Also speaking, Hajiya Aisha Larai-Musa, the Head of Public Enlightenment and

    Re-Orientation Unit  of the commission explained that the commission came up with the idea of the club in collaboration with the National Association of

    Nigerian Students ( NANS).

    She said the idea was mooted  against the backdrop of the high rate of criminal activities in tertiary institutions and the pervasive nature of corruption, economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.

    In the same vein, Vice Chancellor of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Prof. Riskuwa Shehu represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of academics, Prof. Abubakar Bagudo urged Nigerians to collectively and frontally fight corruption.

    ‘’ Unless this is done, the dream of achieving sustainable growth and

    development in Nigeria would  continue to elude the nation,’’ the Vice Chancellor pointed out.

  • EFCC denies selective investigation of corruption cases

    EFCC denies selective investigation of corruption cases

    The Economic and Financial Crime Commission on Monday denied that the agency only goes after those that fell out of favour with the government.

    The Chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, made this clarification in Lagos while declaring open a workshop on economic crimes reporting.

    Lamorde, who described the situation as “less desirable” said there was no truth whatsoever in the notion now making the round that it has gone to sleep.

    “This is sad,” he said, pointing out that this is not so because corruption threatens all sectors of the economy, the media inclusive.

    He remarked that nobody found to have committed economic and financial crimes either against the country or other Nigerians is free from the searchlight of the organisation.

    The EFCC chairman, who was represented by the Director of Operations of the agency, Mr. Olaolu Adegbite, urged the media to lend its investgative skills to assist the EFCC to fight corruption rather than allowing itself to be sucked by the corrupt individuals.

    “The media must exercise its constitutional mandate as the fourth estate of the realm with the highest sense of responsibility.

    “Issues about corruption and economic crimes are sensitive and there is need for journalists to always verify their facts before publication,” he said.

    Stressing the need for the media to support its activities more than ever before, Lamorde said the media is a very critical stakeholder in the anti-graft war, pointing out that they could make or mar the fight against economic crimes and corruption.

     

     

  • EFCC won’t dabble in political issues, says Lamorde

    EFCC won’t dabble in political issues, says Lamorde

    The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde yesterday said the commission would not be influenced by politics.

    He also asked the media to assist anti-graft agency to prevent crooks from occupying political office.

    Lamorde, who made the clarification while speaking with newsmen after the opening of a workshop on Reporting Economic Crimes organized by EFCC in Abuja, said the commission has not been engaging in selective investigations.

    He said: “Our activities won’t be determined by who does what with government. We are not going to be drawn into political issues. We are doing our job and we will continue to do our job. We want the understanding of the journalists.”

    He asked the media to complement the efforts of EFCC and other anti-graft agencies to stop corrupt. Elements from occupying political office.

    He implored the media to feed Nigerians with antecedents of corrupt aspirants.

    He added: At times if you check the history of somebody-the background-you will be able to write a story that he is not fit for public office. Maybe he has mental issue, maybe he was arrested as a youngster and he has been stealing in his secondary school perhaps he was sent it of school, maybe he was caught in his university with with disc there is a history.