Ibrahim Magu, acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has finally opened up on AbdulRasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT)…

Abdulrasheed Maina and Ibrahim Maau, Chairman, EFCC.

“I really don’t know what happened. But, I know that he had been properly placed on the watchlist and he couldn’t have sneaked into this country without the law enforcement agencies. So, something was wrong somewhere. Actually, we need to look at that.”

“He has already been declared wanted by the INTERPOL and we are going to visit other countries for assistance, particularly Dubai, USA and UK. We are already on the manhunt, seriously. We will go after everybody who is involved. I am telling you, we will not spare anybody.”

“He has people who are protecting him and that has made it difficult for us to get him arrested. You can imagine, he was promoted. It was devastating, it was beyond my understanding!”

“The matter has been in court and Maina was also charged before the court. He was arraigned in absentia. I assure you, we will get him sooner or later. The National Assembly is supporting us. We are collaborating and we are also giving them support. We have no problem with the National Assembly. The way the media and other Nigerians can help us is to give us information to get Maina arrested.”

On July 21, 2015, EFCC charged Maina, alongside Stephen Oronsaye, Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamilton of Global Services Limited, before Justice Gabriel Kolowole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 24-count charge on procurement fraud and obtaining property by false pretences.

While Oronsaye and the two others were arraigned in court, Maina was not. Although Maina was at large, he was represented by a lawyer, Esther Uzoma.