Immediate past Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, who failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, on Tuesday to answer questions on alleged fraud of about N2.05 trillion, has escaped the country.
Lamorde, according to reliable sources who spoke to NigerianPilot, left Nigeria in the wee hours of Friday last week through the Cotonou, Benin Republic border disguised. He was said to have later traveled from there to the United Kingdom where he was sighted on Monday evening.
It could not be established before press time why he decided to leave the country unceremoniously and surreptitiously through the land borders with the neighbouring country, but close sources said he did that to avoid arrest by security agents who it was gathered had laid siege around his Abuja residence to pick him up for questioning on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari over allegations of official corruption and self-enrichment.
His alleged escape contradicts the statement by his lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo to the Senate on Tuesday where in Keyamo told the Senate that his client was sick and traveled out of the country for medical treatment.
Those who saw Lamorde less than 24 hours before he left the shores of Nigeria said he was fit as fiddle. It was also alleged that shortly after his removal on Monday November 9, Lamorde went to his office late in the night and cleared all important documents and evidences that could be used against him, before the ceremonial handing over to his successor Mr. Ibrahim Magu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police.
Said an informed security source last night: “If indeed Lamorde was sick, how come the sickness became so serious within the very short period he was removed from office? Before going abroad for medical treatment, a patient would have been attended to by a Nigerian physician who will later refer the patient abroad for further medical attention if need be.
Going by what Keyamo said, which hospital was Lamorde initially admitted and which Nigerian doctor referred him abroad? And why didn’t Keyamo submit medical report of his client to the Senate to buttress his argument? It is unfortunate that someone like Lamorde who was arresting and harassing Nigerians on every flimsy excuse would now run away from the same justice and people want us to believe them?”, stated our source, a senior EFCC official.
