‘A soldier of anti-corruption’ — Olukoyede pays tribute to Ibrahim Lamorde

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has mourned the death of Ibrahim Lamorde, a former chairman of the anti-corruption agency.

Lamorde died on Sunday, three days after undergoing surgery in Cairo, Egypt.

He was the EFCC chairman between 2012 and 2015. He died at the age of 61.

In a statement on Monday, Olukoyede described the late former chairman of EFCC as “a refined officer, disciplined, unassuming, amiable, compassionate, but professional”.

He said the footprint of the late Lamorde in the police and EFCC  would remain indelible.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, retired deputy inspector-general of police and one of my predecessors as executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, between 2012 and 2015,” the statement reads.

“The loss of this distinguished law enforcement officer whose ideals and accomplishments we have long respected is painful, coming at a time when the EFCC and indeed Nigeria still needed his wealth of experience to deal with emerging challenges in the law enforcement environment.

“His footprints in the Nigeria Police and the EFCC, where he spent his most productive years, first as director of operations and later as acting chairman and executive chairman, will remain indelible.

“Indeed, the story of the commission cannot be told without a reference to Lamorde, who invested his talent as an investigator in setting up the investigation machinery of the commission and mentoring the corps of officers who are today the spine of the commission’s investigative activities.

“He was also a reformist, and his legacy in the commission includes the establishment of the professional responsibility arm of the commission, the department of internal affairs, which was recently renamed the department of ethics and integrity to police officers of the commission, and the department of public affairs to drive the commission’s corruption prevention mandate.

“Lamorde also renamed EFCC’s Training and Research Institute, Karu, as the EFCC Academy, with an expanded mandate to train all cadres of officers of the commission and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and indeed, Africa.

“Under his stewardship, the EFCC Academy became the centre for anti-corruption training in West Africa.”

Olukoyede commiserated with Lamorde’s family, noting that the commission felt the death of the former chairman of EFCC.

“All of us in the EFCC feel deeply the loss of this soldier of anti-corruption. Our hearts are with his family and all those whose lives he impacted in his remarkable career,” he added.

“We share your bereavement in the loss of this icon. You can be assured that our thoughts and prayers are with you in your grief.”

The EFCC chairman added that Lamorde’s lifetime as a police officer and statesman in service will remain “a legacy of inspiration to all”.