Embattled former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on
Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, has finally broken silence
on the allegations of corruption levelled against him.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Channels Television
which aired during News At 10 on Monday, Mr Maina insisted that he
was innocent of the allegations preferred against him.
He, however, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give him
an opportunity to prove his innocence, claiming that the President
was being deceived by the people who surround him.
“Thank God our President stands for the truth, the unfortunate
thing is that some people around him whom he has given trust are
lying to him; this one I can attest to and I can give you
instances, I can give you documentary evidences,” Maina said.
“I’m appealing to you Mr President, there are so many things
people are not telling you; when I get to that public hearing I
will tell you some things that nobody ever told you Mr President
because I never had the opportunity to sit down with you.”
The reinstatement of the former pension boss had sparked
criticism and controversy from Nigerians after he was declared
wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in
2015.
While the anti-graft agency said it was working tirelessly to
arrest Maina, President Buhari had ordered his immediate dismissal
from the Federal Civil Service.
Meanwhile, more reactions and revelation have continued to trail
the controversy, with the Presidency saying at least 66 accounts
were used in pension fraud associated transactions.
Maina who denied any involvement in pension fraud, however, said
his team recovered about N282billion cash for the government and
that his life was in danger.
He said he was ready to prove to the President that he was
innocent of the allegations against him by recovering N1trillion in
three months if given the opportunity.
“I recovered money for the last administration and I recovered
money for this administration. Most people may not understand this
but let me explain this to Nigerians because I want the truth to be
told and I want Nigerians to understand the truth and know what is
going on in Nigeria.
“Listen, I am not afraid of anybody, I am saying the truth.
People portray themselves as if they are saints around the
President; it’s a lie, they are not. We recovered as a team,
N282billion cash. Aside from the N282bn, we were able to bring
information and caught 43 pension suspects.
“They have threatened me, they have threatened my lawyer, they
have threatened my brother, sister; they have threatened us all
that I will be killed.
“Mr President, I will give you information and documents that
will fetch you over N3trillion now in Nigeri, give me nine months.
Within the first three months, I will show you N1trillion just like
I showed you N1trillion in this 2017,” he said.
Embattled former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on
Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, has finally broken silence
on the allegations of corruption levelled against him.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Channels Television
which aired during News At 10 on Monday, Mr Maina insisted that he
was innocent of the allegations preferred against him.
He, however, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give him
an opportunity to prove his innocence, claiming that the President
was being deceived by the people who surround him.
“Thank God our President stands for the truth, the unfortunate
thing is that some people around him whom he has given trust are
lying to him; this one I can attest to and I can give you
instances, I can give you documentary evidences,” Maina said.
“I’m appealing to you Mr President, there are so many things
people are not telling you; when I get to that public hearing I
will tell you some things that nobody ever told you Mr President
because I never had the opportunity to sit down with you.”
The reinstatement of the former pension boss had sparked
criticism and controversy from Nigerians after he was declared
wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in
2015.
While the anti-graft agency said it was working tirelessly to
arrest Maina, President Buhari had ordered his immediate dismissal
from the Federal Civil Service.
Meanwhile, more reactions and revelation have continued to trail
the controversy, with the Presidency saying at least 66 accounts
were used in pension fraud associated transactions.
Maina who denied any involvement in pension fraud, however, said
his team recovered about N282billion cash for the government and
that his life was in danger.
He said he was ready to prove to the President that he was
innocent of the allegations against him by recovering N1trillion in
three months if given the opportunity.
“I recovered money for the last administration and I recovered
money for this administration. Most people may not understand this
but let me explain this to Nigerians because I want the truth to be
told and I want Nigerians to understand the truth and know what is
going on in Nigeria.
“Listen, I am not afraid of anybody, I am saying the truth.
People portray themselves as if they are saints around the
President; it’s a lie, they are not. We recovered as a team,
N282billion cash. Aside from the N282bn, we were able to bring
information and caught 43 pension suspects.
“They have threatened me, they have threatened my lawyer, they
have threatened my brother, sister; they have threatened us all
that I will be killed.
“Mr President, I will give you information and documents that
will fetch you over N3trillion now in Nigeri, give me nine months.
Within the first three months, I will show you N1trillion just like
I showed you N1trillion in this 2017,” he said.