Former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Larmode is sick and has been flown abroad for medical attention, his lawyer, Festus Keyamo said.
Keyamo made the revelation yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition to represent the former EFCC boss.
But the senate probe committee has threatened to issue a warrant of arrest against Lamorde if he fails to appear before it on November 24.
Lamorde is accused of non-remitting recoveries by EFCC to the tune of N2.051trn, comprising seized properties, assets and funds of individuals under investigation by the commission.
George Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, a property and financial recovery firm brought the petition against Lamorde.
The petitioner alleged that out of the N2.051trn, Lamorde is to account for N1trn, which he has failed to provide explanations as to its whereabouts.
Uboh also accused Lamorde of doctoring bank accounts and diversion of already seized loots.
The probe committee said it had on three separate occasions invited the former EFCC boss to defend the allegations but he failed to honour any of the invitations.
Keyamo, who represented Lamorde at the hearing of the petition, informed the lawmakers that his client’s absence was due to some health issues.
He explained that Lamorde was abroad for medical treatment and will not be back earlier than December 6.
Keyamo said Larmode’s invitation was in his capacity as the EFCC boss and that following his removal as Chairman, all such invitations have subsequently become nullity.
Besides, he told the lawmakers that the Senate has no powers to invite anybody in Nigeria to give evidence but can only summon somebody as a witness.
According to the lawyer, as soon as Larmode was relieved of his duties, he can only be summoned by the Senate as a witness. However, Samuel Anyanwu, chairman of the committee, insisted that Lamorde must appear before it on a final date, which is November 24.
Also speaking, Dino Melaye, pointed out that the committee had the powers to summon the former EFCC, emphasising that its constitutional powers must not be undermined.
He warned that the senate should not be coerced into issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of the former anti-graft czar.
Another member of the committee, Obinna Ogba, described Lamorde’s failure to honour the invitation as an insult to the National Assembly. “Enough is enough,” he said.
But Keyamo faulted the statements of the committee, saying Lamorde had become a private citizen whom the senate had no jurisdiction over.
“The senate has no jurisdiction over private citizens. Lamorde’s failure to appear before the committee is because he thought as a private citizen, the case has ended with his exit from EFCC,” he said.
Addressing newsmen immediately after the interaction, Keyamo said the committee was ignorant of its powers.
“The senate doesn’t know its powers. I will do all I can to correct this. The senate has no power to summon a private citizen for investigation,” he said
