Fuel subsidy probe: Suspects to be arraigned soon – Lamorde

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, National Politics, Oil Politics, Top Stories Monday, July 16th, 2012

By Oscarline Onwuemenyi
ABUJA — Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, has stated that investigations into fuel subsidy payments by the commission would soon be completed and those indicted arraigned in court.

Lamorde, who stated this, yesterday, when the President of Campaign for Democracy, CD, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, paid him a courtesy visit at the commission’s headquarters, in Abuja, noted that the commission was not unmindful of the clamour by Nigerians for action by the EFCC on the matter, adding that the complex nature of the nation’s oil and gas industry required that more time be taken to properly investigate the subsidy morass.

According to Lamorde, considerable amount of work has been done in the investigation of the fuel subsidy payments, adding: “The EFCC is avoiding media feast. That is why we are conducting the investigations and interrogations quietly, so as to have a smooth outcome. Very soon, some officials will be taken to court,” he said.

Lamorde then urged the Campaign for Democracy to help monitor some of the corruption cases in court with a view to facilitating the speedy disposal of such cases.

Earlier in her remark, Dr. Okei-Odumakin said the visit which is the first by her association to any organisation in Nigeria in the last six years, was intended to demonstrate the CD’s support for the leadership of the EFCC under Lamorde and to underscore its preparedness to collaborate with the EFCC in the anti-graft campaign.

She disclosed that Lamorde’s assumption of duty was timely, noting that corruption has become the fastest growing industry in Nigeria.

She called on the EFCC to look into several cases of former governors indicted for corruption across the country with no visible progress being made in their trials.

She also said that Nigerians are showing enough interest in the outcome of the fuel subsidy investigation.

The Campaign for Democracy President further called on all Nigerians to join in the fight against corruption to rescue the country from the vice grips of the malaise.

-Vanguardwp_posts