The House at its plenary session on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 set up an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the re-surfacing, re-absorbing and subsequent elevation of the former chairman of the Presidential task force, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina in the civil service despite being sacked and declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The Committee is also expected to recommend sanctions against any person implicated in his reinstatement and elevation from the position of Assistant Director (that he held prior to his sack in 2003) to his current position of Acting Director in the Ministry of Interior.

Moving the motion, Hon. Jagaba Adams Jagaba (APC:Kaduna) mentioned that Mr. Maina had prior to his sack, been the assistant director and Chairman of a Presidential taskforce inaugurated to address the irregularities in the country’s pension system. However, he recalled that Mr. Maina was later sacked in both capacities after the Nigeria Police accused him of mismanaging pensions worth over a 100-Billion naira.

Speaking further, he noted that although the National Assembly had exercised fair hearing by inviting Mr Maina to appear before its Committees over the said allegations, the invitations were turned down severally. He also noted that the matter had taken a different twist after the EFCC declared him wanted in 2015 on the realization that the he fled from Nigeria to the United Arab Emirates in 2013. Hon. Jagaba further expressed dismay over Mr Maina’s return from self-exile only to be given a promotion from Assistant Director to Acting Director in the Ministry of Interior.

Lastly, lawmakers commended President Muhammadu Buhari for being proactive in the fight against corruption and for directing the immediate sack and prosecution of Mr Maina. The House called on EFCC to immediately arrest Mr Maina for subsequent prosecution in order to serve as a deterrent to others who might have corrupt tendencies.