Olajide Fasakin, one of the aides of wanted former Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform, Abdulrasheed Maina has said he is hiding to avoid being killed.

Background:

• Maina was dismissed in 2013 by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
• He was accused of massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.
• Maina sued the Senate, after the upper chamber issued an arrest warrant against him.
• Maina was dismissed by the Head of Service for allegedly absconding from duty and attempting to evade arrest and charged to court.
• Reports recently emerged that Maina has returned to the country, now works with the government and has been promoted.
• However, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his immediate disengagement from office and also queried the Head of Service over his reinstatement.
• The EFCC stormed a mansion in Abuja belonging to Maina, who is till on its wanted list.
• Winifred, Oyo-Ita, head of service also denied any complicity in the reinstatement of Maina.
• The EFCC recently sealed four houses and 2 companies belonging to Maina.
• In a leaked memo by HoS Oyo-Ita, the government official had said President Buhari was aware of Maina’s reinstatement, stating that she warned him.

What he said:

While speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, Fasakin said he does not know the whereabouts of Maina.

He added that Maina went into hiding after he was shot at five times.

He said, “I would not advise him to come out because there was a petition against some members of the seventh Senate for having collected N3bn from some pension thieves.

“The petition is with the ICPC and the EFCC, we haven’t got the report up to this moment.

“The only way out, most likely, would have been for Mr. President, in his position as the President of the country, to inaugurate a commission of enquiry like Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Panel, do all the activities on the television, then we would advise him to come out.”

Azeez