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Tag: Maina

  • Maina and the fire this time

    Maina and the fire this time

    Bookmakers were shocked on Tuesday when Senators set up a committee to probe how Abdulrasheed Maina, who was fired from the civil servant at the peak of the pension funds scandal, got reinstated and elevated.

    They had thought the National Assembly would give the super civil servant the Dame Patience Jonathan treatment. Banks were ordered to unfreeze the former First Lady’s account – simple act of legislative responsibility to an ex-First Lady who deserves much reverence in a society famous for honoring its dearest citizens.

    Those busybodies who always hide under the nomenclature of social critic and activist in pursuit of their selfish ends went to town. They said the lawmakers’ action was subjudice as there were cases in court. Do they want to teach the lawmakers their job?

    They called the honourables and distinguished ones names – paedophiles, drug pushers, thugs and thieves. This being a newspaper for the discerning mind, I would not bother you with other things they said about our Assemblymen.

    Before President Buhari stepped in to fire Maina (for the final time?), a source close to a popular lawyer had told me he planned to enter a writ seeking to enforce Maina’s fundamental human rights that had been abused in a most obnoxious manner. He was to demand compensation. Thereafter, Maina would issue a press statement, saying he has forgiven all – just as men of his class do whenever they are targets of naked envy.

    Maina’s record will be hard to beat. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted, yet he was all over town, moving like a celebrity. The police chief was summoned by the Senate and ordered to seize him. Alas, Maina was elusive, even as the task force boss had an army of police guards.

    Who ordered Maina’s return and promotion? Where did he get those escorts? Will he surrender to the EFCC? What happens to the pension funds? Who bears the loss? Will his accomplices be punished or polished? And where is he now?

    For Maina – the last three letters of his name stands for “fire” in Yoruba – will the fire this time stay real?

  • Maina: Senate seeks sack of Malami, Danbazau, others

    Maina: Senate seeks sack of Malami, Danbazau, others

    SENATORS resolved yesterday to probe the controversial return of Abdulrasheed Maina to the civil service.

    The Public Service, Anti-Corruption, Interior and Judiciary  committee is to investigate the recall  of the former Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, who is on the wanted list of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N2 billion pension fraud, among others.

    The committee is to determine how Maina was reinstated and promoted to director.

    The upper chamber said the development became even curious, especially when Maina is wanted for alleged fraud.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance raised by Senator Isa Hamma Misau (Bauchi South).

    Misau said the circumstances of Misau’s return and reinstatement service had become a huge embarrassment to the country.

    Many of the senators who contributed to the debate asked the Senate to resolve to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to sack those linked to the development.

    The lawmakers singled out Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami and Interior Minister Abdulrahman Danbazzau as two public officials that should be hammered by President Buhari for their alleged roles in the Maina matter.

    Misau said: “Right from day before, you will see the story of somebody who has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).  We read how the man who was declared wanted and was said to be abroad came back to Nigeria miraculously.

    “Going by the newspaper publications, somebody wanted by the EFCC left the country for so many years. He was dismissed from the service. He was out for a long time, but smuggled into the service. He left the country as an assistant director. Today, he is a director.

    “We even heard that he goes about with police escort. I wonder how a government that claims to be fighting corruption will be involved in a matter like this. This is a big embarrassment for this country. The people around the President are not helping matters. It appears that the President is the only one talking about corruption. Other people around him are protecting corrupt people.

    “The AGF was mentioned and other people were mentioned. We investigated this case in the 7th Assembly. I am calling on the Senate to investigate this case again.”

    Chief Whip Olusola Adeyeye said: “I remember what happened then. It got to a point when the former President of the Senate, David Mark, told the former President Goodluck Jonathan to choose between Abdulrasheed Maina and loyalty to the country. It got so bad that Maina had over 30 police officers attached to him.

    “It got so bad that he was always on the front row whenever the former President travelled. At some point, we thought that he was being protected. I remember one of us was blackmailed and called names. He was accused of taking billions as bribes. Today, that lawmaker was cleared and he is here.

    “Some principalities in power then ferried Maina to neighbouring countries. There is a procedure when it comes to promotion in the civil service. This is an insult on the part of civil servants who have worked so hard.

    “As a member of APC, it is a sad moment. We cannot say that we want to fight corruption and have this approach. Jesus Christ said it is difficult for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle.

    “This saddens me and I am sure it saddens all of us. I am glad that following the outrage from the public, the President acted swiftly. We read in the papers that the rules of the civil service were bypassed.

    “It appears there are people in this government who want the President to fail. Every patriot and member of APC in this house must stand out and ensure that the President does not fail.

    “Papers have reported that two Ministers were involved. Those Ministers must be brought to justice. The President must ensure that those Ministers are sacked. Corruption is not only about stealing money. Incompetence too is another form of corruption.

    “I hope that this Senate will not forget its past resolutions on Maina. On it, we still stand. He must be made to stand and face the law. He is not above the law. Steven Oronsaye was accused. He did not leave the country. He stayed back and cleared his name. Maina must do same.

    Senator Kabiru Marafa said:

    “I want to appreciate the person who brought this motion by exposing some dubious people in government. No family can boast of having 100 per cent good people. APC is not an exception. We cannot attribute everything to the President. He should be commended for rising to the occasion.

    “Reinstating Maina is a crime against Nigerians. We should approve a full blown investigation into what happened. We must not allow this thing to go unnoticed.

    Senator Atai Idoko said: “We are looking at the symptoms; we are not looking at the cause. Maina is too small to go back to office. Somebody brought him back to the office. Maina is too small. He is not the issue. We should look at those who returned Maina.

    “As we were told, the person who approved this thing is the AGF. The simplest thing the President could do was to terminate the appointment of Maina. That is not the issue. The AGF brought him back. The AGF has a history of doing things like this. The President should tell us what he will do to the AGF.

    Senator Albert Bassey Akpan would like the Senate to “investigate and bring to book any person who wants to bring this country to disrepute”. “We will stand with the Senate to ensure that the right thing is done,” he said.

    Senator Tayo Alasoadura cautioned his colleagues not to call names of people who have not been indicted. “We should not duplicate. If the executive has set up a committee, we should not do the same thing. We must not set up committees every time”, he said.

    Senator Dino Melaye, “the whole unfolding affair is pathetic”. He said: “Should we continue in sin and ask grace to abound? The AGF time after time has abused his office. Maina did not get himself back. We should talk about the integrity of the AGF and his office. If the number one law officer is breaking the law, where is the hope?

    “The AGF started with the forgery case against Saraki and Ekweremadu. Something happened we have not noticed. Two public officers had issues and the AGF chose to support the Inspector-General of Police against Senator Isah Hamman Misau. Today, it is Senator Isah versus the Federal Government.

    “Tomorrow, if I commit any offence against the friend to the AGF, I will be arraigned. We should not encourage the setting up of investigative committees. The President is surrounded by worms who are bent on destroying the country.

    “There are so many committees that have been set up by the President and the resolutions of those reports may not be implemented until after rapture. Enough is enough. We cannot have this forever. This is wrong. The Senate needs to do something.

    “We must recommend to the President that the AGF has erred in discharging the affairs of his office. If we do not check it, the AGF will plunge us into trouble.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki asked the joint committee to do a thorough job.

    Read Also:Maina: Ex-NBA boss lauds Buhari for immediate disengagement

  • Maina: Senate to probe reinstatement, promotion

    Maina: Senate to probe reinstatement, promotion

    The Senate is to probe the controversy over the return of former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina to the country, his reinstatement into the civil service and promotion despite being on wanted list for alleged crime.

    The decision was taken at the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday mandating its committees on establishment, interior, anti-corruption and judiciary to investigate the issue.

    Senator Hamma Misau who moved the motion stressed the need for the Senate to urgently investigate the misnomer in the federal civil service by identifying all those civil servants and political appointees who breached the civil service procedures.

    Senate President Bukola Saraki urged the committees to investigate the allegations against all public officials involved in the case but did not give a deadline for the submission of its report.

    Maina, was restored and made director after being on the run for alleged N2b scam, among others.

    Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Abubakar Malami directed the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to reinstate Maina, The Nation learnt.

    It was also learnt that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, did not make any input into Maina’s reinstatement. In fact, sources said, Mrs. Oyo-Ita advised against Maina’s  recall, but she was overruled.

     

  • Litigations responsible for PDP’s ineffective opposition role – Dokpesi

    Litigations responsible for PDP’s ineffective opposition role – Dokpesi

    A Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) national chairmanship aspirant, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has blamed the party’s inability to effectively perform as opposition on protracted litigation over its leadership since 2015.

    He stated this on Monday night when he led some members of his campaign organisation on a consultation to former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina.

    We have heard severally from leaders and former heads of state that the PDP had not played proper role as opposition party.

    We had no chance and no opportunity, because we had been in court all through.

    It was not due to lack of competence or courage, but due to the fact that we had been in court processes,” Dokpesi said.

    He said that there was now a vacuum in the party and a need to put in place a duly elected National Working Committee in accordance with the provisions of its Constitution.

    He said that the committee must be headed by a man of courage, vision and integrity who had “paid his dues and demonstrated passion and commitment to the party´s advancement”.

    According to Dokpesi, getting the right person for the position of the party´s next chairman is not about pampering, but about being firm and resolute.

    He pointed out that it was only people with track records and zeal to fight for the party that should be chosen for such position.

    He described as miscarriage of information claims that the party´s chairmanship position had been zoned to the South-West.

    The truth of the matter is that there was no meeting where the PDP as a party, decided that its chairmanship position should be zoned to the South-West.

    The Constitution of the PDP unequivocally states that zoning shall take place, but it shall take place in the North, South and East.

    It is cheap propaganda and mischief to state that there had been a zoning to the South-West, the aspirant said.

    He, however, added that preferences could be made because it was a family affair that should be devoid of any form of bitterness.

    Dokpesi, who is founder of Daar Communications, noted that the party was presently fighting against impunity, saying that some of its members took laws into their hands and had despised its Constitution by manipulating it.

    He said that it was unfortunate that such persons were being applauded and made heroes of the party, while others took advantage of the situation.

    He advocated direct primaries for the party in future, saying it would allow its financial members to vote and elect their candidates for elections and leaders.

    Dokpesi prayed that whoever emerged as next national chairman of the party would be committed to it and ready to take it through its challenges and return it to power in 2019.

    It is not just electing a chairman for the sake of electing him, but electing someone who is able to take us through the fire-lines and make sure that we regain power in 2019, he said.

    He pleaded with the former minister to rise to the occasion as one of the mothers of his campaign team to assume her role in the interest of the party and the country.

    In her remarks, the former minister said that Dokpesi was the right person to lead the PDP for many reasons, adding that she had known him since 1981 as a man of high integrity.

    If the PDP chairmanship position is something I can give on my own, I will give it to Dokpesi in front of everybody,” she said.

    Maina described Dokpesi as a man of selfless service who had committed his time and resources to the advancement of the PDP, adding that he was a bridge-builder who had friends across the country.

    She promised to galvanise support for the aspirant and ensure that he became the next national chairman of PDP “in the interest of the party and the country.

    She prayed God to grant him victory in the race because, according to her, he has done a lot for the party to deserve being its national chairman.

    I believe in your capabilities, because I know who you are and I believe that if you become our national chairman, we will all go to rest,” the former minister stressed.

    The PDP has scheduled its National Convention where new leaders will be elected to end the tenure of its National Caretaker Committee, which had been extended two times.

    NAN

  • Maina didn’t show up in office

    The embattled former pension chief Abdulrsheed Maina did not resume to work yesterday at the Ministry of Interior.

    Workers in the ministry were seen in groups discussing the development but he failed to shopw up at work.

    Director of Press in the Ministry Willy Bassey told our correspondent that he did not know Maina and had not seen him.

    He said: “I was not around when this news broke. I wanted to find out from the Permanent Secretary but he did not show up in the office.

    “I do not know the man called Maina. As the Director of Press I don’t know him  and nobody has introduced him to me.”

  • Buhari orders Maina ‘s disengagement from service

    Buhari orders Maina ‘s disengagement from service

    …Probes Maina ‘s recall

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate disengagement from service of Mr Abdullahi Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms.

    The directive was contained in a memo to the Head of the Civil Service of the federation.

    According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President equally demanded a full report of the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior.

    Read: EFCC: Maina paid $2m cash for Abuja house

    According to the presidential aide, the report is to be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, before the end of work today.

    The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Oct. 22, had confirmed the resumption of duty by Abdulrasheed Maina, as an Acting Director in his ministry.

    The confirmation came in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the minister, Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo.
    Maina was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan as Chairman of the task force in 2010 to check the corruption in the country’s pension system.

    In 2012, the Nigeria Police accused him of misappropriating N100 billion pension funds in connivance with others.

    The Civil Service Commission reportedly dismissed him for “absconding from duty’’.
    Maina was arraigned in absentia by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which declared him wanted in 2015.

    Mr Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman of the anti-graft agency in a statement at the weekend, said Maina remained on the commission’s wanted list.

    Sunday’s confirmation by the minister followed reports in the online media that Maina had been secretly re-instated and promoted to the rank of director in the ministry.

    Read Also: Nigerians React to Maina ’s Re-enstatement, hail Buhari Anti Corruption war.

  • EFCC: Maina paid $2m cash for Abuja house

    EFCC: Maina paid $2m cash for Abuja house

    Wanted civil servant AbdulRasheed Maina bought a $2 million house in Abuja, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has claimed.

    The mansion was allegedly acquired by Maina when he was the chairman of the controversial Presidential Task Force Team on Pension Reforms.

    Maina also has a 24-charge case pending before a Federal high Court. He has been reinstated as director, an action that has sparked a big row over the anti-graft war.

    Maina was declared wanted by the EFCC in November 2015 for alleged fraud. The EFCC reported him to the International Police (INTERPOL).

    He resurfaced this month as an acting director in the Ministry of Interior.

    An EFCC fact-sheet shows that Maina was under probe for multiple allegations, including fraudulent biometric contracts, which resulted in the mismanagement of over N2billion of pension funds and acquisition of choice mansions in Abuja.

    According to the document, an investigative team led by Habibu Aliyu, an EFCC official, uncovered how Maina paid $2million for a property at 10, Amisi Musa Street in Jabi Lake, Abuja.

    Part of the fact sheet says: “Our findings confirmed that he paid $2million for the house in cash in one day when he was the chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team.

    “Investigation showed that the house was sold to him in June 2012 by one Adamu Modibbo. It is located at 10, Amisi Musa Street, Jabi Lake Area. The house was bought at the time he was in charge of pension reform.

    “The EFCC marked the house as a property under investigation but all the marks were removed and the walls repainted. Maina has other properties which he acquired as an Assistant Director in the Federal Civil Service.”

    The fact-sheet gives an insight into attempts to bring Maina to book, including when he relocated to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    •The frontage of the $2m house in Abuja

    The document states: “Maina was declared wanted by the EFCC. On November 11, 2015, the EFCC wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, with an attention to the Commissioner of Police (INTERPOL), requesting for the publication of Abdulrasheed Maina on INTERPOL Red Alert.

    “The letter sought assistance for the arrest of Maina who has a fraud case, FHC/ABJ/ CR/, requesting for the publication of Abdulrasheed Maina on INTERPOL Red Alert.

    “The letter sought assistance for the arrest of Maina who has a fraud case, FHC/ABJ/ CR/97/ 2015 dated July 10, 2015.”

    A source told our correspondent: “This INTERPOL step was taken barely a week after Ibrahim Magu took over as the Acting Chairman of EFCC.

    “It will be interesting to tell you that when we sent the letter to the INTERPOL initially, it got missing, but unknown to them, we had the acknowledged copy. We were undeterred; we had series of correspondences with the INTERPOL.

    “After many months, on January 12, 2016, the commission received a response from INTERPOL acknowledging the receipt of the letter to place Maina on Red Alert.

    “But INTERPOL requested for more information to take some steps. This was the position in INTERPOL while the EFCC went ahead with the trial of Maina and others.”

    It was learnt that the EFCC was on the trail of Maina.

    “Our detectives are on standby to arrest him any moment from now. We are already trailing his whereabouts. As of Sunday, he was said to have shifted base to Kaduna.

    “I can tell you that Maina, who was declared wanted by EFCC, is being protected by some armed policemen. No one knows how he came about special protection.”

    The EFCC had on November 2, 2015 declared the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team wanted.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Maina was 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.

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

    “While Oronsaye and two others were in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, Maina had been at large.

    “However on July 21 when the court heard the bail applications of the accused persons, Maina through his counsel, Esther Uzoma, told the court that he was not at large, claiming that the EFCC had never invited him.

    “Consequently, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, pleaded with the court to prevail on the accused’s counsel to produce Maina in court as the Commission had no clues as to his whereabouts.

    “The court granted Rotimi’s prayers, yet Maina continued to shun court proceedings, leaving the Commission with no option than to declare him wanted.

    “Indeed, since the Commission filed charges against Maina, more damning evidence have emerged on how the ebullient former Pension Task Team boss siphoned pension funds using secret accounts in a new  generation bank in Abuja.

    “Two officers of the bank were quizzed two weeks ago. Commission’s sources said they made damning revelations of several opaque transactions through which Maina allegedly lined his pockets at the expense of thousands of hapless pensioners.”

    Oronsaye has been discharged and acquitted by the Federal High Court of the charges preferred against him.”

  • Nigerians React to Maina’s Re-enstatement, hail Buhari Anti Corruption war.

    Some Nigerians have reacted to the recent reinstatement of the former Chairman of Presidential Committee on Pension Reform Taskforce Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, into the federal civil service, saying the development is victory over corruption and age-long pervasion of the civil service rules and labour laws.

    It could be recalled that Maina while fighting corruption in the pension sector through the PRTT in 2010 recovered over 200 billion Naira in cash but, as some Nigerians put it, “in the process, the hunter became the hunted as corruption forth back and was sacked illegally.”
    It could also be recalled that Maina led PRTT recovered 1.6 trillion Naira both in cash and assets within a period of one year. However, as the Coordinator of  the North Central Youth Leaders Forum, Hon Alfa Nma said in his reaction to Maina’s reinstatement, “some corrupt pension looters ganged up against Maina and he was framed to be corrupt. “Maina’ car was shot on his way from the Presidential Villa since then, Maina went into hiding. “So, who will not run away when it has become obvious that people are after your life?”‘ Hon. Nma said.  He recalled that Senator Kabir Gaya who earlier accused Maina of stealing 195 billion Naira soon renounced his accusation when he declared that the said money was found to be lodged in the federal government’s account, which is part of the TSA of the Buhari’s administration. The group, the North Central Youth Leaders Forum, had earlier called on President Buhari to sustain the anti corruption war, urging him that while fighting corruption, he should look into the files of those fighting corruption in the previous administration and were framed up. According to the group, the advice was with a view to determining the merit or otherwise of some cases to not only clear them but also to make them part of the anti corruption war as in the case of Maina. Mr. Ibrahim Kuru who spoke from Kaduna noted that the reinstatement of Maina is a victory over corruption, saying that “it would be a victory for the corrupt people in the system if obvious cases of people who were framed up for doing the right thing were not looked into. On his part, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi who spoke from Abuja hailed Maina’s reinstatement, saying it is a plus for the anti corruption war of the President Buhari administration.
    According to Dr. Mohammed Ardo, a retired civil servant civil servant , “any reasonable person would commend President Buhari for righting the wrongs of the past by reiterating Maina”.Also, in his reaction, the Chairman Federal Concerned Pensioners, Mr David Audu who spoke from Lagos said that President Buhari has rekindled the hope of Nigerians who suffered injustice, noting that unjust acts of the past administration can be corrected by Maina’s reinstatement.

    He said, ” a bunch of clueless people will sit at your homes and operate on hearsay, even when they do not have a copy of the civil service rules.
    “You don’t jump into conclusions and engage in a smear campaign on a man who has done nothing to offend you.
    “People are not just sacked or dismissed if they are not political appointees.
    “If you are a career civil servant, there are rules and processes to follow and it was obvious that the process that led to the sack of Maina was flawed and the President should be commended”, Mr Audu said.

  • INTERPOL to arrest Maina over N2.1b pension scam

    INTERPOL to arrest Maina over N2.1b pension scam

    THE International Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has issued a “Red Notice” on ex-Pension Reform Task Team Chairman Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, who is believed to be out of the country.

    This will enable relevant security agencies to arrest Maina in any part of the world.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Maina was wanted for his alleged role in the fraudulent biometric contracts through which he and ex-Head of Service Steve Oronsaye and two others allegedly mismanaged over N2 billion pension funds.

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

    Whereas Oronsaye and two others were in court and pleaded not guilty, Maina had been at large.

    However, on July 21 when the court heard the bail applications of the accused, Maina through his counsel, Esther Uzoma, told the court that he was not at large, claiming that the EFCC never invited him.

    Despite his excuse, Maina has not appeared for trial from his alleged hideout.

    Some reports said he was in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). But his sympathisers claimed Maina was still in the country.

    The situation prompted the EFCC to engage the INTERPOL to track him down.

    It was, however, learnt from a top source in EFCC that the INTERPOL issued the notice, which would make his arrest possible in any part of the world.

    The source said: “The INTERPOL has issued a world-wide red alert on Maina. The notice is based on a request from the EFCC, which on November 18, 2015, wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, seeking his assistance “to issue an INTERPOL Red Alert” on Maina, who was charged to the Federal High Court on July 10, 2015.

    “In a response to the anti-graft agency’s request, Olushola Subair, commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, in a letter dated January 11, 2016, addressed to the Chairman, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, informed the agency that its request had been processed and a notice duly issued by the INTERPOL.

    The letter reads: “Be informed that the bureau has taken necessary action on the wanted fugitive as requested with INTERPOL General Secretariat, Lyon, France. He has been published on the INTERPOL Red Notice accordingly.”

    “The import of the notice is that there is no hiding place anywhere in the world for Maina, who was indicted by the EFCC for fraud and the theft of over N2 billion in pension funds at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

    “He is widely believed to be hiding in the United Arab Emirates. EFCC earlier declared Maina wanted after obtaining a warrant of arrest from court.”

  • Maina faults EFCC on wanted notice

    Maina faults EFCC on wanted notice

    THE former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, yesterday faulted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on an alleged order by Justice G.O. Kolawole that he be produced in court by his counsel, Esther Uzoma.

    Uzoma, in a statement in Abuja, said she made an appearance on July 21 to protest the EFCC’s claim that her client was on the run when no charge had been served on him.

    She said EFCC’s action was against the letters of the law.

    The statement said: “The EFCC should come clean on the matter of my client, Dr. Abdulrasheed Maina. When I appeared before His Lordship Justice Kolawole on July 21, I made it clear that the EFCC was yet to file any charge as well as serve any summons on Dr. Maina.

    “It is trite law that you cannot say an accused is on the run when there is no charge preferred against him or any invitation extended to him.

    “During the hearing for the bail application, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs SAN, wanted the court to direct me to produce Maina in court at the next sitting which I argued that there are clear procedures, which the EFCC is familiar with and should follow.

    “Naturally, the court agreed with my submission on the position of law. Therefore, it is misleading for the EFCC in its statement of Monday to mislead the public that there exists an order for Maina to be produced in court when there is no invitation extended to him talk-less of a charge preferred against him by the commission.”

    The EFCC on Monday declared Maina, wanted.