Bring it on! “I am not afraid of arrest” – Declared-wanted-by-police pension chief, Maina tells Senate

by Chi Ibe

Dr_-Abdulrasheed-Maina-1

Abdulrasheed Maina, the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team who is currently being hunted by the police said, on Saturday February 2, that he was not afraid of arrest because he was innocent.

Since December 13, 2012 when the Senate issued a warrant of arrest, mandating the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to arrest and produce Maina before the Senate committee, the  police had reported back that the suspect had gone into hiding, making it difficult for them to execute the warrant.

Consequently, the IG directed all assistant inspectors-general of police in-charge of zonal commands and state commissioners of police to search for the PRTT chairman.

A statement by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba on Friday, had quoted the IG as directing all operatives of the Federal Intelligence Bureau, Force and State Criminal Investigation Department to join the manhunt for Maina.

Mba had said, “The IG wishes to appeal to well meaning citizens and the general public with useful information on the whereabouts of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, to kindly volunteer such information to the nearest police station, formation or email [email protected], for necessary action.”

According to recent reports, Maina however has now promised to appear before the Senate Joint Committee on the Investigation of Pension Funds “whenever they are ready.”

The spokesperson of the PRTT, Hassan Salihu, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja said Maina and members of the team were unjustly being persecuted for recovering stolen pension funds.

According to him, Maina had never failed to appear before the Senate, adding that the day he was absent, “he sent a letter of regret to them.”

Salihu said the PRTT expected the Senate President, Senator David Mark, to protect its members.

He said, “Whenever we send a letter, we expect a response from the Senate President. They have not sent any date to us for now; but Maina will appear before the Senate anytime they are ready. The last time he appeared, Maina was mobbed by a mammoth crowd.

“Maina is not afraid of arrest. What has he done? Is it for helping the country to recover several stolen billions? Maina has never offended anybody and I don’t know why we are being persecuted.

“Maina is a patriotic Nigerian and we have not seen the Senate prosecute the pension thieves that we have arrested. Is it because we are common Nigerians? Is it because we are responsible Nigerians? We need redress; we are helping Nigerian pensioners.”

 

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