• Denies stealing N2.1bn
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Embattled former chairman of the Presidential Pension Reform Team (PPRT), Abdurasheed Maina, yesterday brought a twist to the controversy over his reinstatement and eventual sack, saying the Federal Government owes him N159 billion.
He also denied stealing N2.1 billion, while challenging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to an open debate to prove his innocence.
Maina, in a latest revelation through his lawyer, Barr Sani Katu, said if given the opportunity for a face-to-face confrontation with the EFCC, he would spew out all the “unknowns” to Nigerians.
According to him, “in 2011, we stopped the stealing of N300million daily from police pension. Also, in 2011, we stopped the stealing if N1.04billion monthly from police pension allocations
“Same 2011, we were able to stop the yearly stealing of N52.5billion, which became an annual ritual at the service pension
“Between 2011 and 2012, the PRTT recovered cash and asset worth N1.63trillion, which has been with the EFCC.
“Some pensioners petitioned the National Assembly to ensure that EFCC produced these recoveries so that Nigerians would know. These recoveries belong to Nigerians and thus the need to know the whereabouts of these monies and properties. The pensioners urged EFCC to stop diverting the attention of Nigerians from the N1.63trillion towards an imaginary and concocted N2.1billion fraud EFCC pension fraud unit created.
“Similarly, between 2016 and June 2017, Maina, released the intelligence and tip-offs that stopped the annual stealing of N1.3trillion. (This has been confirmed by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation).
“Also, between February 2017 and October 2017, he recovered N152billion, N60billion and other sensitive materials. These achievements go to further the importance of Maina to this country. It means the government acted in public interest by obeying court order, which brought Maina to office. “Maina was shot at and dismissed by the pension cabal, the 7th Senate asked for his head; he approached the high court and got judgment and is now being accused of N2.1billion, which is not even a .000001 per cent of what Maina is supposed to be paid by government.
“Now let us total what Maina recovered, then apply the whistle-blower five per cent, and get the total to be paid to Maina, then subtract N2.1billion, which even though is a complete fabrication by the EFCC, then pay him the balance of over N159billion.
“Nigerians are not stupid and cannot be deceived. They want to take our attention away from all these recoveries because they have repeatedly failed to account for them.
“Our attention cannot be diverted away from about N4trillion to a mere N2.1billion, which is an insignificant percentage the N2.1billion, which is less of all the recoveries.”
Maina also accused a Lagos lawyer of buying one of the properties he seized from pension fraudsters, saying: “The Maina-led Pension RTFT recovered assets and funds worth N1.6trillion. Among the real estates recovered from pension thieves is a mansion worth N1billion at 42 Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.
“Recently, the lawyer has been vociferous in asking for Maina’s arrest and crucifixion, because he is afraid that Maina will expose him as party to the stealing of what Maina team recovered assets.”
He said the over N1.6trillion his team recovered could not be accounted for, insisting that what he required of President Muhammadu Buhari was a fair hearing.