PENSION FRAUD: MAINA IN DEEPER TROUBLE SEE

 

 From ODINAKA EZEOKA.

Abdulrasheed Maina may be facing big trouble as new wound reopens in his case which involve a chain of pension predators. According to Attorney -General of the federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice,Mr Abubakar Malami in a letter he submitted to the senate ad-hoc committee known as Emmanuel Paulker set up to look into the circumstance surrounding the return of Maina in to the civil service as a director . The Attorney-General alleged that the return of Maina invole a powerful pension syndicate among them includes,top civil servants,the Nigerian union of pensioners, federal legislators and ex-government officials as members.

He accused Maina in his letter saying that he has not accounted for about 270 properties he recovered from alleged pension fraudsters.

In  his letter to the committee he raised some questions: “What happened to the monies recovered from the syndicate? What about the 270 properties comprising of real estate and motor vehicles, one of which is a mansion worth N1 billion situated at No 42, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, allegedly given to a senior lawyer meant to crave for his “buy in” in maximising media hype aimed at distracting the attention of the public pension fraud?

“There is perceived compromises in the investigation, prosecution and charges of real syndicate over the pension related matters.”He revealed.

Information reaching ODOGWU MEDIA via a document reads  270 properties recovered by Maina’s team are domiciled with the EFCC. 

“The properties, as we speak, have been shared among top officials of the commission, friends and family members, including lawyers of the agency,” part of the document read.

In the 13-page document dated November 14 submitted to the committee chairman, Malami said the alleged relooted properties included real estate and motor vehicles. He claimed that one of the said properties is worth N1 billion and situated at No 42, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Investigations by ODOGWU MEDIA disclosed that the said property in Maitama, was purchased by a Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria at a giveaway price of N600 million. The property was recovered from Dr. Shaibu Teidi. Teidi. He was  a former Director of Pensions Account, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation before he was removed and prosecuted in 2013 by the EFCC.

In addition, Malami told the committee, which is meeting behind closed doors that his signature on the said document which reinstated Maina, was forged.

Malami maintained  that desperate people  out to dent his image were behind the forgery but failed to revael their identities.

Malami who has so far appeared before the Senate adhoc committee thrice is expected to make more appearances to respond to allegations made against him.

Since he is the head of the ministry, which supervises EFCC, he is expected to aid the committee in recovering the alleged re -looted properties recovered from pension fraudsters.

Meanwhile, the Senate has extended the sitting period of the adhoc committee as well as expanded its scope of work.

The committee is now expected to champion the recovery of re-looted assets. The approval, followed a point of order raised by Paulker.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, who presided, sought the nod of his colleagues to approve the request. The committee was eventually granted the request.