President Muhammadu Buhari has relieved the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, of his appointment.
A top government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he is not the spokesman for government, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Monday.
“It is true that the man has been asked to go,” the source simply said.
Another source said a top official of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, had been asked to take over from him.
Lamorde’s sacking came a few days before 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.
It was reported in October that Buhari had ruled out the possibility of giving Lamorde a second term in office.
This newspaper also did a follow-up story in which it was reported that the President may appoint Lamorde’s successor from within the commission.
Our correspondent gathered that Buhari personally informed Lamorde of his sacking inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday.
The sacked EFCC boss had met behind closed-doors with the President shortly after he 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.
At the time of filing this report, the Presidency had 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.
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