Senate May Issue Arrest Warrant For Larmode This Week

The Nigerian Senate may be left with no other option but to issue a warrant for the arrest of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, this week barring an unexpected reversal.

What this means is that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, may be ordered to arrest Lamorde, who is currently undergoing a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

On Thursday last week, the upper chamber asked its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to initiate the process of issuing a warrant for the police officer’s arrest.

The senate is currently investigating Lamorde following a petition against him by one Dr. George Uboh.

In his petition, Uboh accused the former EFCC boss of diverting over N1tn the anti-graft agency recovered from treasury looters.

The petitioner alleged that under Lamorde, the EFCC opened bank accounts for the funds it recovered from corrupt officials, but the funds did not reflect in the agency’s audited accounts.

The whistle-blower also alleged that the EFCC doctored and manipulated bank accounts to conceal the alleged fraud.

Lamorde was also accused of diverting over 90 per cent of the money the EFCC recovered in foreign currencies, including those from multinational companies.

At the consideration of the report at plenary on Thursday, the ethics panel lamented efforts by the House to get a reaction from Lamorde were not successful.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who read the report, noted that Lamorde ignored all invitations extended to him and urged the House to issue a warrant for his arrest.

What do you think about this development?