The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Thursday, recommended the arrest of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, for continuously snubbing the committee.

Lamorde was invited by the committee for questioning over an alleged diversion of N1 trillion recovered during his tenure as chairman of the EFCC.

The recommendation was made after the chairman of the Ethic committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, presented his report at plenary.

Anyanwu stated that: “That the Senate do consider the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions in respect of a petition from Dr. George Uboh against the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde for alleged financial crimes and corruption.”

“Our investigation shows that Mr Ibrahim Lamorde transferred money which the EFCC recovered in foreign and Local currency from Recovery Accounts to Operations Account from where he diverted the said money,”he noted.

”I want to say with emphasis that the EFCC under Lamorde traded with recovered funds and colludds with real estate companies to undervalue seized assets before they were sold to their cronies.”

The Committee chairman noted that the former EFCC boss had written to the committee on September 30th, 2015 to inform them that he would not be able to honor the invitation. Lamorde further asked for a more convenient date.

However, he managed to leave the country undetected, during that period.

”Consequently, the committee reasoned that the way to get the former EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde to appear before it was to invoke the powers of the Senate in section 89 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and compel his attendance. Unless this is done, the National Assembly might be drawn into consequential disrepute in the future,” Anyanwu added

Speaking on the matter, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu said that: “So what is required here is for the committee to issue a warrant of arrest and then the President of the Senate will direct the Police to effect the arrest. It is not the business of the senate during the plenary to do so. Otherwise, we will be offending this part of the constitution.”

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, thanked the committee for doing their job. He, however, sustained the point of view of Ekweremadu and directed the committee to oblige.

Mazi Emeka