‘Ex-Pension Boss, Abdulrasheed Maina, Was Still Receiving Salary Even After His Dismissal’ -AGF
ex-pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina’s Lawyer yesterday made a shocking revelation at House of Representatives hearing into the recall, reinstatement, and promotion of wanted former chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Pension Reform, Abdulrasheed Maina.
Maina’s lawyer, Mohammed Katu, who was questioned by Lawmakers disclosed that his client was still receiving his salaries despite being sacked for years.
“Yes. Maina continued to work even after his dismissal. As at last month, about 23 files were sent to him, in his capacity as acting director…even while he was absent.
“On the issue of his disappearance, he had to disappear because there was so much threats to his life. On the issue of his dismissal from service, which came up in 2013, we have documents to say here that even after he was allegedly sacked, he still wrote letters to the then president, finance minister, and the rest, which they acted on. I can tell you that about 23 files were sent to Maina even as at last few months to treat in his capacity as acting director, even after the purported dismissal. Another matter was that whether those that sacked him had powers to do so. When his lawyers realized that there was a process of sacking him, they wrote a letter to the commission that he filed a case in court against that. His letter wasn’t complied with,” the lawyer said.
However at the hearing, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Head of Service Winifred Oyo-Ita and Minister of Interior Affairs, Abdulrahman Dambazzau, all denied ordering the reinstatement of fugitive former chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.
According to Malami who said he met with Maina in Dubai sometime last year, Maina gave useful information on pension fraud to his office which was shared with security agencies and this has led to the discovery of billions of looted pension funds and physical assets.
The Head of Service on her own part said;
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“I decided to hold on to the letter and without giving an order for reinstatement, the Ministry of Interior decided to reinstate him which we got to hear in the media. I still have the originals of the letters with me, and there was no time I issued any order for Maina’s reinstatement. And normally, there is no civil servant that can be reinstated without the express directive of the Head of Service ” she said
The Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Danbazzau also denied having any role in the reinstatement of Maina whose office is under his Ministry.
“My role as minister was on a policy matter that has to do with public safety and internal security and also chair anything that has to do with board that establishes prison, Immigration civil defense and Federal fire service” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Engineer Magaji who allegedly carried out the said reinstatement of Maina was nowhere to be seen at the hearing, as he was said to have gone on a sick leave.
The acting Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Joseph Oluremi however told the panel;
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“The delivery of the letter is the duty of the Head of Service and if the letter has not been delivered it means Maina has not been reinstated. That is the only letter Maina will take to the Head of Service and the HoS will process it. “It is either to post him back to the ministry of interior or to another ministry. For the Ministry of interior to use that letter informing them as letter of reinstatement is wrong”.
Representative of Inspector General of Police, DIG Valentine Toochukwu also denied the involvement of Nigeria police in providing security protection for Maina.
The panel’s Chairman, Hon. Aliu Madaki Sani adjourned the proceedings until November 30th and asked the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Interior to appear before it unfailingly.
