Mrs. Farida Waziri has been relieved of her appointment as EFCC Chairman by President Goodluck Jonathan and former Director of Operations, Ibrahim Lamurde is to take over in acting capacity.
No immediate reasons have been given so far for the unexpected decision.
A terse statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Rueben Abati announced the decision.
"President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde as the Acting Chairman/Chief Executive of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
"The appointment takes immediate effect, and effectively relieves Mrs. Farida Waziri of her position as EFCC Chairman. Mrs. Waziri was appointed EFCC Chairman by Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua on May 18, 2008 and confirmed by the Senate on May 27, 2008.
"Mr. Lamorde, an officer of the Nigeria Police, was, until this appointment the Director of Operations of the EFCC. He was also Acting Chairman of the EFCC before Mrs. Waziri assumed duty at the Commission", it said.
Waziri was appointed to take charge of the Commission in May 2008 by Late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua. Before today's announcement which ended her three and half year stint at the EFCC, Waziri had continued with the prosecution of several high profile cases started by her predecessor, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu. Many of them are still inconclusive.
In a related move, on October 26, Members of the House of Representatives inched closer to making her unfit for the office as they read for a second time a Bill seeking to amend the EFCC establishment Act, 2004 to provide for the appointment of a Supreme Court judge as chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Sponsored by Rep Bassey Eko Ewa (PDP, Cross Rivers), the bill is seeking to amend the extant Act in section two to provide for the appointment of Assistant Inspector General of Police same rank with Waziri as head of investigation unit of the anti-graft agency.
DailyTrust