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The Federal Government of Nigeria has denied media reports claiming that an order was given to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate its chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde.
News reports had claimed Tuesday that the Federal Ministry of Justice had ordered the EFCC to commence investigation into the allegation that Mr. Lamorde diverted about N1 trillion proceeds of corruption recovered by the anti-graft agency.
The reports said the request was sequel to a petition sent by one George Uboh to the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abdullahi Yola.
The Ministry of Justice on Tuesday specifically addressed a story published in the Punch newspaper quoting Nigeria’s solicitor-general as having given the probe order.
The ministry, in a statement by its spokesperson, Charles Nwodo, said the story was “erroneous and misleading”.
The statement acknowledged receiving a petition against Mr. Lamorde and other top officials of the EFCC.
It however, said what the Ministry did after receiving the petition “as required by the rules of public service and constitutional right to fair hearing” was to pass the petition to Mr. Lamorde for response.
The ministry said it was still awaiting the response of the EFCC chairman.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr. Uboh had written to the justice ministry threatening legal action should it fail to “sanction” the leadership of the EFCC.
The ministry responded to Mr. Uboh’s letter through its Director, Public Prosecutions, Muhammad Diri, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary,.
In the said letter, Mr. Diri said he was directed to inform Mr. Uboh that his petition ”has been sent to the EFCC for their response to the allegation contained therein.”
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