The news is nationwide, Farida Waziri is out and Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde has been appointed in her place as the acting Chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

News of Farida Waziri's ousting from the office of chairperson of crime fighting agency spread like the proverbial wildfire yesterday, when a press statement from President Jonathan's office confirmed that the former EFCC boss was to be relieved of her duties.

Now, a day after the nation learns of the removal, television stations and newspapers have been abuzz with speculations as to why the former EFCC boss was benched, followed by the question: just who is her replacement, Mr. Lamorde?

For starter, this is Lamorde's second crack at the acting chairperson position, the fomer Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) had held the transient position after the removal of former crime-fighting boss Nuhu Ribadu, prior to the appointment of Mrs. Farida Waziri.

His resume boasts of almost 25 years of experience in the anti-corruption world, where he has worked as the Director of Operations to both Ribadu and Waziri.

A Vanguard article titled "The Man, Ibrahim Lamorde", reported that Lamorde, 48, kicked off his career in the Nigerian Police force in 1986, following his graduation from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria with a BA degree in Sociolgy two years earlier.

According to the article, Lamorde spent the next few years of his career in the crime-fighting world, working in the Niger State Police Command in Minna, from 1987 to 1988, then as a Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in Rijau, Niger State for the next year.

Still working in the northern Nigerian region, Lamorde moved on to his next stint as a Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO).

He spent the next portion of his career gaining some nationwide and international experience, according to the Vanguard article. In 1993, the newly appointed acting EFCC boss was a pioneer officier of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police.

Lamorde held the position until 2002. During his time with the Unit, now under the Force Crime Investigation Division (FCID), he was deployed as Chief Investigation Officer of Ermera District of East Timor of the United Nations Civilian Police, between 2000 and 2001.

After a brief stint as a Divisional Police Officer for Ojo, Ibadan and Oyo States, Lamorde was yet again deployed to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, from where he was seconded as a pioneer officer and Director of Operations of the EFCC.

He has reportedly worked with law enforcement agencies from different world governments, including the FBI, Internet Crime Complaints Centre (IC3), the South African Police and more.

Lamorde is currently a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), has attended several international training programmes, seminars and workshops where he delivered papers on the Nigerian fight against corruption, Advance Fee Fraud and other forms of economic and financial crimes.

He also attended a Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies course at the Harvard University in 2005, according to the Vanguard.

Despite the impressive resumé, it is still not certain that Lamorde is a shoe-in for the position in its full capacity, and it is unclear when we'll know for sure who the next crime-fighting czar will be.

http://www.channelstv.com/global/news_details.php?nid=30309&cat=Politics

If the czar of corruption agency can be removed at presidents discretion; how can he/she be able to prosecute corruption originating from the presidency. I think the whole corruption war is a big public relation stunt.

freepeople:

If the czar of corruption agency can be removed at presidents discretion; how can he/she be able to prosecute corruption originating from the presidency. I think the whole corruption war is a big public relation stunt.

Very true!!