Mr. Mohammed Katu, the legal counsel for the former Chairman,
Presidential Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, told
the House of Representatives on Thursday that his client was still
receiving salaries despite the report that he had been dismissed
from service.
He also claimed that Maina treated official files up to last
month (October).
Maina was not physically present as an ad hoc committee of the
House opened its investigative hearing into the disappearance and
reinstatement of Maina into the public service in Abuja.
The committee is chaired by a member of the All Progressives
Congress from Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Madaki.
Katu claimed that his client was not dismissed from service and
that he only sought judicial intervention in 2013 when he realised
that there was a move to dismiss him from service.
He added that while the litigation was in progress, Maina
“disappeared” from Nigeria because his life was in danger.
Katu said, “He was still working as of June 13th, 2013 after the
purported dismissal. He was writing to the Minister of Finance
(former Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala); so, it is not true that he
was dismissed.”
According to Katu, his client was still receiving his salaries
and emoluments “and he got piles of files to treat up to a month
ago.”
He added, “Maina is still receiving salaries. 23 files were sent
to him in his capacity as acting director, even while he was
absent. Maina has continued to work even after he was
dismissed.”
However, when a member of the committee, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran,
quoted a 2014 letter Maina wrote to the Federal Civil Service
Commission, pleading for a review of his dismissal, Katu insisted
that his client was still in service.
Omidiran stated, “We are not children here, and let the
impression not be created that those of us sitting on this
committee do not know what we are doing.
“If Maina wrote to the FCSC to appeal for a review of his
dismissal, why would you be saying that he was not dismissed?
But, Katu replied, “There are things we have with us and we will
submit them when next we come.”
When asked again, Katu insisted that as far as his client was
concerned, he was still in the service.
The committee took the testimonies of the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and
the members were in shock when the AGF denied that he ordered the
reinstatement of Maina into service.
The Federal Civil Service and the Ministry of Interior had acted
on a directive from the AGF’s office to reinstate the former
pension task force chairman.
As of the time he was recalled to office on September 28, 2017,
Maina was on the wanted list of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission and the police for alleged abuse of pensions funds.
But, Malami, who appeared before the panel in Abuja, claimed
that, though a review of Maina’s case by his office was on course,
he never finalised his recall.
He said, “My position is that as of 5th of October, Maina’s case
was work in progress and not concluded. It was KIV (Keep in
View).
“So, the letter giving specific directive on his reinstatement
could not have genuinely emanated from my office.”
The AGF, who claimed to be as surprised as everyone to hear that
he ordered the reinstatement, told the panel that an internal
investigation had begun at the ministry to unravel the seeming
mystery.
“A committee has been set up to find out how the process was
concluded without following the laid down procedure for looking
into such matters in the ministry,” he added.
However, he admitted that a process to review Maina’s dismissal
was initiated in February 2016 by his office after his lawyers
wrote, requesting Maina’s reinstatement.
The AGF stated that the lawyer cited “illegal dismissal from
service and injustice” as the grounds for requesting the
review.
On receiving the request, the AGF told the panel that he
directed the “Line Officer” in the Ministry to conduct necessary
background checks.
He said the officer reported back in April 2017 that “relying on
several court judgements” that had not been appealed, Maina could
be reinstated.
He disclosed that among the court processes and judgements were
Maina Vs Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria & Eight
others; Maina Vs EFCC & Police; and Maina Vs
Customs/Prisons/Immigration Board.
The AGF explained that none of the parties to the cases entered
any appeal within the time allowed by law.
Malami said his immediate reaction was to minute to the officer
to “advise further.”
He added that on April 19, the Line Officer, whose name he did
not give, reported back to say there was a pending suit at the
National Industrial Court, which could have “consequential” effect
on the reinstatement of Maina.
“On the 5th of October, he wrote a final letter recommending
that Maina should reinstated,” he added.
Malami stated that the matter rested there, denying that he gave
any final approval, which could have led to Maina’s recall.
He hinted of the existence of a powerful pensions’ “syndicate,”
which the AGF said drew membership from politicians, serving and
retired civil servants and legislators.
The AGF, who admitted that he indeed met with Maina in the
United Arab Emirates in January 2016, said the existence of the
syndicate was part of the information the former pensions boss
shared with him.
He revealed how he conceded to meet with Maina after he had come
under “immense pressure” from him and with the intervention of the
National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), who was
also part of the meeting.
Malami said Maina told him how his life was in danger over the
N3bn stolen pension funds that he had recovered.
“He claimed there were attempts on his life at the Presidential
Villa and he had to run to the UAE.
“Up to N3.7bn was allegedly shared every month by this pensions’
fraud syndicate. So, we are dealing with a major issue far more
than reducing it to just an individual,” he told the panel.
However, the Acting Chairman of the Federal Civil Service
Commission, Mr. Joseph Akande, informed the committee that it acted
on a directive from the AGF’s office to reinstate Maina.
He recalled that earlier in May 2014, Maina wrote to the
commission pleading for leniency over his dismissal from
service.
“The commission looked into the issue and his appeal was turned
down because we knew there were issues that he had to answer,” he
said
But, he noted that when between January 19, 2017 and April 27th,
the FCSC received three letters from the AGF, directing the
reinstatement of Maina, the commission had to act.
Akande added, “In one of the letters, the AGF clearly wrote that
he was giving the directive as the Chief Legal Officer of the
country and that the basis of Maina’s dismissal cannot stand
because the courts quashed his warrant of arrest.”
Following the development, Akande told lawmakers that the
commission wrote to the Head of Service of the Federation and the
Ministry of Interior to reinstate Maina.
When the committee asked the Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred
Oyo-Ita, to explain the role of her office in the saga, the HoS
replied that though she received the letter by the FCSC, she never
acted on it.
According to her, she held on to the letter because “I felt
reinstating Maina would be against the anti-corruption principle of
this present administration.”
She added, “I didn’t act on the letter and I will say that my
office was not responsible for the reinstatement.”
The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.),
whose ministry wrote the final letter to Maina, conveying his
recall to him, also said he was not responsible for it.
Dambazau informed the committee that the appropriate officer to
address the matter would be the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abubakar
Magaji, who was in charge of the general administration of the
ministry.
When asked the whereabouts of the permanent secretary, the
minister replied, “He went on medical vacation.”
The committee summoned the permanent secretary and the EFCC to
appear on the next adjourned date of November 30.
On its part, the Nigeria Police claimed not to have played “any
role in the pensions’ reform task team, though the team was to
unravel issues in the police pensions.”
A Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Valentine Tochukwu,
who represented the IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, claimed that the police
were still searching for Maina to administer a pending arrest
warrant on him.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences
Commission also washed its hands of Maina’s case.
“By the terms of reference of the committee, they do not fall
within our mandate,” the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr.
Bako Abdullahi, told the committee.
Mr. Mohammed Katu, the legal counsel for the former Chairman,
Presidential Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, told
the House of Representatives on Thursday that his client was still
receiving salaries despite the report that he had been dismissed
from service.
He also claimed that Maina treated official files up to last
month (October).
Maina was not physically present as an ad hoc committee of the
House opened its investigative hearing into the disappearance and
reinstatement of Maina into the public service in Abuja.
The committee is chaired by a member of the All Progressives
Congress from Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Madaki.
Katu claimed that his client was not dismissed from service and
that he only sought judicial intervention in 2013 when he realised
that there was a move to dismiss him from service.
He added that while the litigation was in progress, Maina
“disappeared” from Nigeria because his life was in danger.
Katu said, “He was still working as of June 13th, 2013 after the
purported dismissal. He was writing to the Minister of Finance
(former Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala); so, it is not true that he
was dismissed.”
According to Katu, his client was still receiving his salaries
and emoluments “and he got piles of files to treat up to a month
ago.”
He added, “Maina is still receiving salaries. 23 files were sent
to him in his capacity as acting director, even while he was
absent. Maina has continued to work even after he was
dismissed.”
However, when a member of the committee, Mrs. Ayo Omidiran,
quoted a 2014 letter Maina wrote to the Federal Civil Service
Commission, pleading for a review of his dismissal, Katu insisted
that his client was still in service.
Omidiran stated, “We are not children here, and let the
impression not be created that those of us sitting on this
committee do not know what we are doing.
“If Maina wrote to the FCSC to appeal for a review of his
dismissal, why would you be saying that he was not dismissed?
But, Katu replied, “There are things we have with us and we will
submit them when next we come.”
When asked again, Katu insisted that as far as his client was
concerned, he was still in the service.
The committee took the testimonies of the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and
the members were in shock when the AGF denied that he ordered the
reinstatement of Maina into service.
The Federal Civil Service and the Ministry of Interior had acted
on a directive from the AGF’s office to reinstate the former
pension task force chairman.
As of the time he was recalled to office on September 28, 2017,
Maina was on the wanted list of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission and the police for alleged abuse of pensions funds.
But, Malami, who appeared before the panel in Abuja, claimed
that, though a review of Maina’s case by his office was on course,
he never finalised his recall.
He said, “My position is that as of 5th of October, Maina’s case
was work in progress and not concluded. It was KIV (Keep in
View).
“So, the letter giving specific directive on his reinstatement
could not have genuinely emanated from my office.”
The AGF, who claimed to be as surprised as everyone to hear that
he ordered the reinstatement, told the panel that an internal
investigation had begun at the ministry to unravel the seeming
mystery.
“A committee has been set up to find out how the process was
concluded without following the laid down procedure for looking
into such matters in the ministry,” he added.
However, he admitted that a process to review Maina’s dismissal
was initiated in February 2016 by his office after his lawyers
wrote, requesting Maina’s reinstatement.
The AGF stated that the lawyer cited “illegal dismissal from
service and injustice” as the grounds for requesting the
review.
On receiving the request, the AGF told the panel that he
directed the “Line Officer” in the Ministry to conduct necessary
background checks.
He said the officer reported back in April 2017 that “relying on
several court judgements” that had not been appealed, Maina could
be reinstated.
He disclosed that among the court processes and judgements were
Maina Vs Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria & Eight
others; Maina Vs EFCC & Police; and Maina Vs
Customs/Prisons/Immigration Board.
The AGF explained that none of the parties to the cases entered
any appeal within the time allowed by law.
Malami said his immediate reaction was to minute to the officer
to “advise further.”
He added that on April 19, the Line Officer, whose name he did
not give, reported back to say there was a pending suit at the
National Industrial Court, which could have “consequential” effect
on the reinstatement of Maina.
“On the 5th of October, he wrote a final letter recommending
that Maina should reinstated,” he added.
Malami stated that the matter rested there, denying that he gave
any final approval, which could have led to Maina’s recall.
He hinted of the existence of a powerful pensions’ “syndicate,”
which the AGF said drew membership from politicians, serving and
retired civil servants and legislators.
The AGF, who admitted that he indeed met with Maina in the
United Arab Emirates in January 2016, said the existence of the
syndicate was part of the information the former pensions boss
shared with him.
He revealed how he conceded to meet with Maina after he had come
under “immense pressure” from him and with the intervention of the
National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), who was
also part of the meeting.
Malami said Maina told him how his life was in danger over the
N3bn stolen pension funds that he had recovered.
“He claimed there were attempts on his life at the Presidential
Villa and he had to run to the UAE.
“Up to N3.7bn was allegedly shared every month by this pensions’
fraud syndicate. So, we are dealing with a major issue far more
than reducing it to just an individual,” he told the panel.
However, the Acting Chairman of the Federal Civil Service
Commission, Mr. Joseph Akande, informed the committee that it acted
on a directive from the AGF’s office to reinstate Maina.
He recalled that earlier in May 2014, Maina wrote to the
commission pleading for leniency over his dismissal from
service.
“The commission looked into the issue and his appeal was turned
down because we knew there were issues that he had to answer,” he
said
But, he noted that when between January 19, 2017 and April 27th,
the FCSC received three letters from the AGF, directing the
reinstatement of Maina, the commission had to act.
Akande added, “In one of the letters, the AGF clearly wrote that
he was giving the directive as the Chief Legal Officer of the
country and that the basis of Maina’s dismissal cannot stand
because the courts quashed his warrant of arrest.”
Following the development, Akande told lawmakers that the
commission wrote to the Head of Service of the Federation and the
Ministry of Interior to reinstate Maina.
When the committee asked the Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred
Oyo-Ita, to explain the role of her office in the saga, the HoS
replied that though she received the letter by the FCSC, she never
acted on it.
According to her, she held on to the letter because “I felt
reinstating Maina would be against the anti-corruption principle of
this present administration.”
She added, “I didn’t act on the letter and I will say that my
office was not responsible for the reinstatement.”
The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.),
whose ministry wrote the final letter to Maina, conveying his
recall to him, also said he was not responsible for it.
Dambazau informed the committee that the appropriate officer to
address the matter would be the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abubakar
Magaji, who was in charge of the general administration of the
ministry.
When asked the whereabouts of the permanent secretary, the
minister replied, “He went on medical vacation.”
The committee summoned the permanent secretary and the EFCC to
appear on the next adjourned date of November 30.
On its part, the Nigeria Police claimed not to have played “any
role in the pensions’ reform task team, though the team was to
unravel issues in the police pensions.”
A Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Valentine Tochukwu,
who represented the IGP, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, claimed that the police
were still searching for Maina to administer a pending arrest
warrant on him.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences
Commission also washed its hands of Maina’s case.
“By the terms of reference of the committee, they do not fall
within our mandate,” the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr.
Bako Abdullahi, told the committee.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/maina-still-in-service-says-lawyer/