News Post

The House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on Thursday, 23rd November, 2017 started the probe of the alleged pension fund fraud that led to the sack of the then Head of the pension taskforce, Abdulrasheed Maina in 2013. 

Following a public outcry alleging that Maina who was then declared wanted by both the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was said to fled the country and had since remained a fugitive until his recent reappearance in the Ministry of Interior where he was said to have been reinstated and promoted to a Deputy Director’s position in the ministry.

The investigative hearing conducted by the House of Representatives on the matter was an eye opening to the illegal occurence. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Abubakar Malami appeared before the Committee to answer questions as raised by the members of the committee. He admitted that there is a pension fraud syndicate of which Maina was involved, but stated that he had since left the syndicate. The AGF also denied the allegation that the letter for the recall of the former pension boss emanated from his office.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, while informing the committee on her insight on the issue explained that letters were sent to her office from the office of the AGF directing that Maina be reinstated. The probe, however took another direction when Maina’s lawyer, Muhammed Katu submitted that his client was never officially disengaged from service. He stated that he left the country for security reasons, pledging that his client would appear before the Committee if given protection.

Meanwhile, during plenary session on Thursday, November 23, 2017, the House passed a Bill seeking the establishment of the School of Mines and Geological Studies in Akoko-Edo for third reading. Also, a Bill seeking to amend the Nigerian Television Authority Act, Cap. N136, LFN, 2004, scaled second reading on the floor of the House.