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Romanus Ugwu, Abuja and Lukman Olabiyi
The Department of State Services (DSS) has handed over former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, and his son, Faisal, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.
Maina, who is currently being grilled by the operatives of EFCC had been on the wanted list of the commission for the past four years for N2.1 billion pension fraud, but was apprehended by the DSS operatives shortly after entering the country from his Dubai base.
He was apprehended by the DSS operatives in Utako, Abuja alongside his son, Faisal who tried to stop his father arrest by threatening the security personnel with gun on Monday.
The duo were handed over to the commissioner last noight.
A source who was part of the team that arrest the duo claimed Maina wore fetish amulets and jackets to prevent his arrest.
The source also revealed that he had been in the country since June, 2019 but managed to evade arrest for until Monday.
Spokesman for the DSS Peter Afunanya said Maina was arrested at a hotel in Abuja on September 30, 2019, saying his son attempted to open fire on the DSS operatives involved in the operation.
“The arrest which was effected at the Pennsylvania Avenue Hotel, Utako, Abuja followed a request by the EFCC to the Service to assist in the apprehension of the suspect.
“Maina was arrested in company of his 20-year-old son, Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, who unsuccessfully tried to resist the arrest.
“The lad even pulled a pistol against the security agents involved in the operation. He was, however, disarmed and arrested. He is a final year student at the Canadian University of Dubai where he is studying Telecoms Engineering.
“Items recovered from the suspects include a pistol with live ammunition, a bullet proof Range Rover SUV, a BMW Saloon car, foreign currencies, a phantom 7 drone and sensitive documents.
“The suspects and the recovered items will be handed over to the EFCC for further investigations and appropriate necessary actions.”
The federal civil service commission had dismissed Maina in 2013 for absconding from duty following 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 establishment, a warrant of arrest was issued against him.
Subsequently, the police declared him wanted and he went into hiding.
However, in 2017, he returned to the country under controversial circumstances and was reinstated as a director in the ministry of interior.
But President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his dismissal and demanded a probe into his recall.
