'I didn't reinstate wanted task force chairman' - Interior Minister, Dambazau

dimeji akinloye

October 23, 2017 10:05 AM

The EFCC has also maintained that Maina is still wanted for the alleged N2bn pension fraud of which he was indicted before he fled the country.

The Minister of Interior Affairs,

Dambazau and the Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred E. Oyo-Ita have been accused of reabsorbing Maina.

In 2013, the ex-Pension reforms boss was dismissed by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.

He allegedly embezzled over N100 billion meant for pensioners across the country, leaving them in a state of misery and hopelessness.

Maina was said to have fled the country after he was indicted and later returned to the country - he not only got back into the civil service system, he got a double promotion as compensation for his troubles.

According to a statement issued on Sunday, October 22, by Dambazau's press secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, Maina was recalled through the office of the head of service.

The statement reads in part: "The ex-Chairman of the Presidential Task Force Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.

"For the avoidance of doubt, issues relating to Discipline, Employment, Re-engagement, Posting, Promotion and Retirements of Federal Civil Servants are the responsibility of the Federal Civil Service Commission and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, of which no Minister exercises such powers as erroneously expressed.

"It is understood that Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably why he was re-posted back to the Ministry.

"It is therefore improper for anybody to think that a Minister could exercise such powers or influence the process of Discipline, Re-engagement, and Deployment of any civil servant to his Ministry or any other Ministry for that matter. Again Such responsibility is that of the Federal Civil Service Commission and/or the Head of Civil Service."

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Reacting to the development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Maina is still wanted by the commission over the alleged fraud but did not confirm he would be arrested now that his whereabouts is known.

dimeji akinloye