Wanted ex-EFCC boss, Lamorde, dares Senate, appears in Jos

Wanted former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, was one of the 68 participants of the Course 38 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, who were inaugurated by the institute on Friday.

The Senate had, on Thursday, given permission to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, headed by Senator Sam Anyanwu, to issue a warrant of arrest on Lamorde

The committee, which investigated a petition against Lamorde by George Oboh, had asked the Senate for the order to issue the warrant of arrest against Lamorde to enable him to answer for his activities during his tenure.

However, while the senators were giving the order, Lamorde was in Jos as a student of NIPSS.The petition had accused Lamorde of misappropriating over N1tn funds.

The cat and mouse game between Lamorde and the lawmakers was reminiscent of the ordeal of his former boss, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, who was demoted while he was admitted for the course.

However, a mild drama ensued on Friday, when as Lamorde was leaving the event, a newspaper vendor displayed before the ex-EFCC boss, a newspaper publication ordering his arrest.

Lamorde, who was the focus of attendees at the event, just blushed and disregarded the vendor and the publication.

When one of the reporters approached the vendor and asked if he knew it was Lamorde that he was showing the publication to, the vendor replied, “Na seni ai” (Yes, I know).

Speaking at the event, the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said the cardinal objectives of the present government was to tackle the scourge of unemployment and foster an inclusive development that would take marginalised and vulnerable segments of Nigeria out of poverty in the shortest time possible.

He said President Mohammadu Buhari chose the theme: “Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms for Poverty Reduction and Inclusive Development in Nigeria,” for Course 38, to enable the government to tackle the prevailing poverty rate in the country which has reached 61 per cent.

He said, “Nigeria ranks 152 out of the 183 countries in the Human Development Index assessment for 2014. This is quite worrisome and requires urgent attention and that is why one of the cardinal objectives of the present administration is to tackle the scourge of poverty.”

Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, urged the participants to carry out extensive and detailed research on the challenges confronting public institutions saddled with the responsibility of implementing poverty reduction and inclusive development programmes in Nigeria.

He said recommendations of participants at the end of the programme should be geared towards accelerating the quest for sustainable national development and improving the living standard of the people.

In his welcome address, the representative of the Director General, National Institute, Prof. Mohammed Tijjani-Bande, described the theme as not only apt but also directly relevant to attempts at finding solutions to many of the social, political and economic problems affecting the nation.