Three top officials in the government of President
Muhammadu Buhari played prominent roles in the
reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-chairman of
the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), into the civil
service, TheCable can report.

Documents seen by TheCable showed the involvement
and full knowledge of Winifred Oyo-Ita, head of the civil
service of the federation; Abdulrahman Dambazau,
minister of interior; and Abubakar Malami, minister of
justice, in the deal gone sour.

The federal civil service commission dismissed Maina
in 2013 for absconding from duty following a
recommendation by the office of the head of service.

He was accused of being involved in pension fraud
running into over N100 billion. After an investigation
by the senate joint committee on public service and
establishment and state and local government
administration, a warrant of arrest was issued against
him.

Subsequently, the police declared him wanted and he
went into hiding. He reportedly fled to the United Arab
Emirates (UAE). It was after his long absence from
office that he was dismissed.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) also declared him wanted, while the INTERPOL
issued a worldwide red alert on Maina, based on a
request from the EFCC.

But four years later, Maina managed to find his way
back into the civil service.

In a letter dated September 17, the Federal Civil
Service Commission (FCSC) made a strong case for
Maina’s reinstatement.

The letter, signed by Mustapha Sulaiman on behalf of
the chairman of the commission, referred to previous
correspondence on the issue.

The letter showed that while Dambazau and Oyo-Ita
played supervisory roles, as committees under them
made recommendations, Malami was actively
involved.

“Kindly refer to the Attorney General of the Federation/
Honourable Minister of Justice letter ref no HAGF/
FCSC/2017/VOL.1/3 dated 27th April, 2017
requesting Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to
give consequential effect to the judgement that voided
the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which
formed the basis for the query and his eventual
dismissal,” the letter read.

“Further to the aforementioned letter, the Federal Civil
Service Commission (FCSC) at its meeting held on
14th June 2017 deliberated on the Attorney General of
the Federation (AGF’s) letter and requested the Office
of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF)
vide letter FC.4029/82/VOL.III/160 of 21st June,
2017, to advise the Permanent Secretary Ministry of
Interior to consider the AGF’s letter, the officer’s case
and make appropriate recommendation to the
commission.

“The OHCSF accordingly advised Ministry of Interior to
consider the matter. The Ministry of Interior at its
Senior Staff Committee (SSC)’s meeting held on 22nd
June, 2017 considered the disciplinary case against
the officer and the letter by the Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice seeking the
reinstatement of the officer as a Director
(Administration), SGL.17 in the Federal Civil Service.

“The Ministry of Interior’s Senior Staff Committee
(SSC) deliberated on the case and recommended that
Mr Maina be reinstated into the service as Deputy
Director, SGL. 16. The Office of the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter Ref. No.

HCSF/LU/COR/FCSC/749/III/135 dated 14th
August 2017 forwarded to the recommendations of the
Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry on Interior
to the FCSC for further necessary action.”

The letter also said FCSC had approved the
reinstatement of Maina and directed that he should be
made to sit for next promotion examination to the post
of director.

Before former President Goodluck Jonathan appointed
him to the pension team in 2010, Maina was an
assistant director in the ministry of interior.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Maina’s
dismissal from the civil service.

Shortly after he gave the order, Oyo-Ita issued a three-
paragraph statement denying being behind the
controversial recall.

Earlier, Dambazau had distanced himself, passing the
buck to Oyo-Ita.

Premium Times broke the story Friday.

TheCable