The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared Abdulrasheed Maina, a 61-year-old former pension boss from Borno State, wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property. This was made public through a notice issued on Wednesday, accompanied by Maina's photograph. The EFCC urged members of the public with information about his whereabouts to contact the commission or the nearest police station and other security agencies.
Maina was previously declared wanted by the EFCC in November 2015 over allegations of procurement fraud, stealing, and money laundering related to the pension biometric scam. He became prominent nationally as the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms under former President Goodluck Jonathan, where he was involved in efforts to recover pension funds and tackle alleged fraud in the pension system.
The EFCC listed its offices in several cities, including Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, and Abuja, as points where information about Maina could be provided. The commission also provided a telephone number and its official email address for members of the public to submit information.
Maina's tenure as chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms was followed by a major legal controversy after he was prosecuted by the EFCC over alleged money laundering involving funds linked to pension reforms. In November 2022, he was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for money laundering-related offences.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets linked to the case. However, Maina subsequently appealed the conviction. The EFCC's latest notice did not state whether the current wanted declaration is connected to his previous pension-related case or disclose details of the alleged stolen property involved.
The EFCC's declaration of Maina as wanted is a renewed effort to bring him to justice. The commission's efforts to recover stolen properties and tackle corruption in the pension system are ongoing. Members of the public are urged to cooperate with the EFCC by providing useful information about Maina's whereabouts.
The case against Maina is one of several high-profile corruption cases in Nigeria. The EFCC's efforts to tackle corruption and recover stolen properties have been ongoing, with several convictions and recoveries made in recent years. The commission's work is crucial in promoting transparency and accountability in government and public institutions.
Key points
- The EFCC has declared Abdulrasheed Maina wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property.
- Maina was previously convicted and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment for money laundering-related offences.
- The EFCC is urging members of the public to provide information about Maina's whereabouts.
