VP Shettima, ex-VP Atiku, others attend prayers for late EFCC Chair Lamorde

Vice President Kashim Shettima and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar were among the dignitaries who attended the funeral prayers for the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, a retired assistant inspector of police, at the National Mosque in Abuja.

The prayers for Lamorde, who died on May 26 in Egypt while seeking medical treatment in the country, were also attended by the Governors of Borno, Prof. Babagana Zulum, Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), the National Security Advisor, retired AIG Nuhu Ribadu, and several members of the National Assembly.

According to Persecondnews, the Senate issued a warrant for Lamorde’s arrest in 2016 after he repeatedly disregarded summonses to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

The invite to the senate came after Dr. George Uboh, CEO of Panic Alert Security Systems (PASS), a non-governmental organization, filed a petition following the failure of three previous letters sent to him by Freedom Osolo, the Clerk of the Committee.

Then-Senate President Bukola Saraki referred a petition against Lamorde to the committee on October 6, 2015, after Senator Peter Nwaoboshi drew attention to allegations of financial crimes and corruption totaling N1 trillion, as presented by Dr. George Uboh.

The committee believed that taking action was necessary to protect the National Assembly’s reputation and authority.

They recommended that it be compelling for Ibrahim Lamorde to appear before the committee to answer for his actions as EFCC chairman.

The Senate issued an arrest warrant to achieve this, and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu supported it, citing Sections 88 (1) and 89 (1) of the Constitution.

The Senate President agreed with the Deputy Senate President, citing Section 89 of the Constitution, and sustained the point of order. The committee had previously sent three letters inviting Lamorde, which he ignored.

However, Lamorde’s lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), denied the allegations and urged security agencies to resist the invitation, calling it an “illegal scheme” and requesting that they await the court’s decision before enforcing the arrest warrant.