(AP) \u2014 The chairman of Nigeria’s corruption-fighting Economic and
\nFinancial Crimes Commission is appearing before the Senate to answer
\naccusations that he diverted billions of dollars.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim Lamorde and other officers of the anti-corruption commission are
\nalleged to have misallocated 1 trillion naira (about $15 billion) in
\nrecovered assets with the collusion of banks and estate agents. A
\nwhistleblower, security company owner George Udoh, provided documents
\nmaking the allegations.<\/p>\n
The accusations come as the commission has been pursuing new President
\nMuhammadu Buhari’s pledge to stamp out Nigeria’s rampant corruption.<\/p>\n
The charges against Lamorde and his commission are politically motivated,
\nsaid Commission spokesman Wilson Ujuwaren Tuesday. “Even if the EFCC had
\nnot returned a kobo \u00a2 of recovered assets in its 12 years’ existence …
\nit will be nowhere near a trillion naira,” he said.<\/p>\n
Lamorde’s summons to appear this week before the Senate ethics committee
\ncomes after he interrogated the wife of Senate President Bukola Saraki and
\nreleased her, apparently after finding no evidence of wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
The commission has been accused of politically targeting scores of people
\nquestioned in recent months \u2014 more people since Buhari took office in May
\nthan during the six-year tenure of Buhari’s predecessor, Goodluck
\nJonathan.<\/p>\n
An atmosphere of fear is almost palpable among Nigeria’s former ruling
\nclass, many of whom have accused Buhari and the commission of a
\nwitch-hunt. “EFCC will get you anywhere, anytime,” says a banner on its
\nwebsite.<\/p>\n
The Anti-Corruption Civil Societies Coalition warned Tuesday of the need
\nto fight “the seeming grand conspiracy and groundswell to frustrate the
\nanti-corruption war,” saying Nigeria became “a big looting field” under
\nthe two previous administrations.<\/p>\n
Buhari last month said a staggering $150 billion has been stolen. U.S.
\nJustice Department officials told him one former minister alone stole $6
\nbillion, according to a governor at the meeting.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material
\nmay not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(AP) \u2014 The chairman of Nigeria’s corruption-fighting Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is appearing before the Senate to answer accusations that he diverted billions of dollars. Ibrahim Lamorde and other…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n