By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – President Muhammed Buhari has ordered immediate sack of the erstwhile chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina from the civil service.
Buhari also ordered the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita to explain the circumstances that led to the recall of Maina and his posting to the Ministry of Interior.
According to Premium Times, Buhari gave the order in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
President Buhari directed that the report be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff , Mallam Abba Kyari, before the end of work today, Monday, October October 23, 2017.
Sundiata Post recalls that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on November 2, 2015 declared Mr. Abdulrsheed Maina, wanted for his role in the fraudulent biometric contracts through which himself and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, and two others allegedly stole over N2 billion of pension funds.
Maina was declared wanted following after absconding from court to face charges brought against him and three others.
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 pretense.
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 thr eough his counsel, Esther Uzoma, told the court that he was not at large, claiming that the EFCC had never invited him.
In view of the forgoing, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, pleaded with the court to prevail on the counsel to the accused person 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.
On Saturday, November 21 until Monday afternoon the media was awashed with the story that Maina has not only been reinstated but promoted from Assistant Director to Director of human resources in the ministry of interior.