By Lawrence Olaoye
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate disengagement of Mr. Abdullai Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms
The President, in a statement made available to newsmen Monday by his Special Adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, yesterday also in the memo directed the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, to submit a full report of the circumstances leading to Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior.
The report was to be submitted to the office of the Chief of Staff to the President before the end of work yesterday
Maina was in 2010 engaged by former President Goodluck Jonathan to sanitise the corrupt pension system.
But accusation started piling in 2012 when Maina was accused of leading a massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.
Based on the allegation of corruption, Maina was invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration.
After its investigation, the Senate issued a Warrant of Arrest against Maina who had ignored the panel, and went ahead to sue the Upper Chamber and the then Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar before fleeing the country.
In the heat of the allegation and counter allegation, Maina was dismissed by the Head of Service for allegedly absconding from duty and attempting to evade arrest and charged to court.
The former Pension boss was on July 21, 2015 mentioned by the EFCC as a major accomplice in a 24-count charge filed against Stephen Oronsaye and two others before a Federal High Court bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.
While Mr. Oronsaye and the two other accused were in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, the EFCC said Mr. Maina was at large.
