A House of Representatives ad-hoc committee which investigated the controversial circumstances in which Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), was promoted and reinstated into the federal civil service after he was dismissed in 2013 over allegations of corruption has indicted the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Daily Trust, said the Attorney General was described as the “architect” of the back door reinstatement of the Maina who was dismissed from service over pension fund fraud in the report of the committee.
Maina, was dismissed in 2013 and subsequently declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when he failed to respond to summons over corruption charges.
However, media reports had revealed that Maina was secretly reinstated into the civil service in 2017, leading to the institution of the probe by the House of Representatives.
Daily Trust, quoting from the report of the probe laid on the floor of the House a fortnight ago, said the Committee’s finding revealed that Maina’s reinstatement was “fraudulently masterminded” and that the Attorney General “pressurized all that mattered” to force the former pension chief back into the service.
The Committee also said it was established that the Attorney General met with Maina in Dubai knowing full well that the ex-pension task force boss was a wanted person.
Malami, the Committee said, also exerted undue interference and pressure on the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) for reinstatement of Maina into the civil service in contravention of Section 158 of the 1999 constitution in its 13-page report.
“The Attorney General knew that Maina is a fugitive, yet he met him in Dubai. Maina’s reinstatement didn’t follow due process and it was fraudulently masterminded,” the report said.
The panel wants the AGF should be reprimanded, cautioned and advised on the best way to deal with such issues and not to interfere in matters he has no jurisdiction over.
The panel said it found the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of interior, Engr Abubakar Magaji, wanting for documenting Maina’s reinstatement with obtaining the necessary written clearance from the office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
Also, the panel noted that the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) erred by taking directive from the Attorney General to recommend Maina’s reinstatement in contravention of Section 158 of the constitution.
It recommended that the commission should be asked to stick to civil service rules in such matters and not to succumb to pressure from any quarters.
The Senior Staff Committee (SSC) constituted to look into the possibility of Maina’s recall, which eventually recommended his re-engagement, should be cautioned, the panel said.