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It was revealed on Monday that Ministers under President Muhammadu Buhari engineered the reinstatement of ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, into the civil service.
Even though Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau and Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, have been trading blames and denying any involvement in Maina’s return, the documents showed that both of them were involved. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, was also part of the deal, the documents also revealed.
Maina was dismissed in 2013 for a N2bn fraud in the Pensions funds and was later in 2015, declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He reportedly fled to the United Arab Emirates but recently found himself back in the federal civil service.
READ: Why we reinstated ex-Pensions boss, Maina; FG; He’s still wanted – EFCC
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.
The letter from the FCSC to the Head of Service reads:
“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 letterFC.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 letter from the permanent secretary of the ministry of interior shows that the ministry headed by Dambazau was fully aware of Maina’s return
“The OHCSF accordingly advised ministry of interior to consider the matter. The ministry of interior at it 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.”