Fish out Maina - Reps to EFCC

The House of Representatives has written the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes  Commission (EFCC) Mr. Ibrahim Magu to arrest and prosecute the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina.

The decision of the Representatives was conveyed in a letter through the Clerk  to the National Assembly, Mr. M. A. Sani-Omolori .

The November 7 letter was in line with the House’s resolution of  October 24.

In the letter, the House urged EFCC to “immediately arrest the former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, for prosecution “in order to serve as deterrent to others who might have corrupt tendencies”

“The House of Representatives has already constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee charged with the responsibility of investigating the circumstances surrounding the re-surfacing, re-absorbing and subsequent elevation of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina from the rank of Assistant Director (the position he held before he was removed in 2013, to the position of an Acting Director) and to recommend strong sanctions against any person or persons who are implicated in the scandal.”

A source said: “Maina, who is the subject of investigation for alleged pension fraud, slipped into the country a few months ago and was sensationally reabsorbed into the civil service and promoted acting director.

“He remains on the wanted list of the EFCC, which last week published a fresh wanted person notice on the suspect.

“The EFCC called on anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the commission or report to the nearest police station.

“The suspect has not been seen in public since an online media published news of his dubious reinstatement into the public service.”

The EFCC declared Maina wanted for his alleged role in the fraudulent biometric contracts through which he and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye and two others allegedly mismanaged over N2billion of pension funds.

Maina was also on July 21, 2015 charged alongside Oronsaye , Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton Global Services Limited before a Federal High Court with a 24-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

Oronsaye and two others were in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge Maina has been at large.