The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Nigeria, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde, has been removed, a presidential source said.
Mr Lamorde was removed on Monday by President, Muhammadu Buhari and has been replaced by Ibrahim Magu, a top level official of the Economic and Governance Unit of the EFCC.
He was seen at the Presidential Villa, where he allegedly held a last meeting with the President. No reason has been given for his sack.
Lamorde, has been the EFCC chair since 2011.
His successor, Magu is regarded as a no-nonsense investigator of the commission at its inception.
He was removed along with several other key officials by Farida Waziri when she became chairman in 2008.
It will be recalled that the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde was summoned to appear before the Senate tomorrow over an alleged diversion of recovered stolen funds amounting to N1trillion.
It was gathered that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which is probing the EFCC boss had formally written an invitation letter, requesting him to appear tomorrow, Tuesday.
The Senate had in August commenced the probe of the EFCC boss following a petition written by one Mr. George Uboh alleging that Lamorde diverted the sum being stolen money recovered from a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun.
The EFCC boss, according to Uboh diverted the funds when he was the agency’s Director of Operations between 2003 and 2007, and when he was acting Chairman of the commission in 2008.