Sacked Lamorde ‘faces’ arrest

— Magu steps in   —  Senate suspends probe

By Chizoba Ogbeche and  Ezrel Tabiowo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday‎ sacked the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde and immediately announced Ibrahim Magu, a top level official of the Economic and Governance Unit of the commission, as his replacement in acting capacity.
Magu, a crack operative with the EFCC   since 2011, is described by associates as “a no-nonsense operative”  brought back to the commission by Lamorde after his sack by  Mrs. Farida Waziri.
Magu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), served as head of the EGU under Nuhu Ribadu, and  was said to have made several enemies while at the Commission.
A top EFCC source  said, “Magu made several enemies while at the EFCC. You know he was the brain behind high profile investigations like Saraki, Odili and others. Many of them have vowed not to let him return to the EFCC.”
As an  early recruit into the EFCC by Ribadu, he is widely regarded as an “incorruptible and courageous officer, who does not compromise.”
Lamorde’s sack, Blueprint gathered, may not be unconnected with series of alleged corrupt practices that are at variance with the leadership of such an anti-graft agency.
Prior to  his removal from office, it was gathered that the office of the National Security Adviser,  beamed its searchlight on the erstwhile EFCC boss, in conjunction with a crack team of operatives from  the Directorate of State Security Services(DSS).
And just last month, the federal government, through the Solicitor General, directed the Commission to investigate Lamorde, while the House of Representatives in a resolution asked either the police or the ICPC, a sister agency to look into Lamorde’s books as the EFCC boss.
With his final sack therefore, our source hinted, “Lamorde will not go just like that. There is need for him to answer some questions.  He will have to be under close security watch and could even be picked up subsequently in view of the embarrassment the many allegations against him, including that from one Dr. George Uboh,  caused the present administration.”
Uboh, the CEO, Panic Alert Security Services, had appeared before the Senate , accusing Lamorde of some sharp practices in monies seized from some corrupt public figures, totalling over one trillion naira.

But in what appears a quick response to his sack, the  Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which had earlier fixed for Tuesday(today), its public hearing on Uboh’s petition , suddenly announced an indefinite postponement.
Announcing the postponement in a statement yesterday,  clerk of the committee,  Mr. Freedom Osolo, did not however  give any reason.
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.”
Osolo had  on November 4, issued a similar statement, announcing that the committee would hold the hearing on Tuesday at 2:00pm at the Meeting Room 120, New Senate Building,  National Assembly,  Abuja.