Abdulrasheed Maina arrested, shoots at DSS Operatives
EMERGENCY DIGEST – Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Department of State Service has arrested former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, AbdulRasheed Maina.
Maina, who was embroiled in N2.1billion pension scam was arrested through a joint effort by the EFCC and DSS, sources told SaharaReporters.
According to the source, Maina was arrested in a hotel in Abuja as he attempted escaping by shooting at the DSS operatives detailed to arrest him.
The source said, “He hid himself in a bulletproof car for several hours before he was forced out by the operatives.
“On the request of the EFCC, the DSS has been monitoring his movement for days before now.”
It was gathered that one Zainab Buratai, a woman who claimed to be a businesswoman and philanthropist in Abuja, by her Twitter handle but no established direct connection with the Chief of Army Staff, said Maina has been using her influence in the police force, to terrorize his extended family. Mainz had ordered one of her nephew, Sadiq to arrested.
Sadiq was beaten to comma on the allegation of stealing $1.7m belonging to Maina.
Whereas Maina’s biological son has admitted stealing the father’s money and Maina’s son Laila confirmed taken possession of the unspent stolen fund from the son.
Maina’s younger brother, Khalid, was also arrested and detained by officers of the IG special team under Abba Kyari.
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It took the intervention of senior police officers to secure the release of Khalid last weekend.
Personnel of the anti-graft agency have arrested several agents, couriers, informant and subordinates of Maina the last 2 months and several properties hidden under several proxies and concubine seized from the fugitive.
As at the time of this report, the DSS is still profiling Maina and possibly would hand him offer to the EFCC later today or sometime soon. His possession of firearm, among others is to be investigated by the DSS.
Maina is being aided by top government officials led by Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to evade trial and prosecution following his embezzlement of N2.1billion pension fund.
Maina in January 2019, secured a court order stopping the EFCC from declaring him wanted.
Justice Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court described the action of the anti-graft agency in declaring Maina wanted as unlawful.
A non-governmental organisation, Centre for Law and Civil Culture, has approached the Federal High Court in Lagos to compel the AGF to account for the assets recovered from Maina.
The suit marked FHC/L/CS/756/2019 has the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as the second respondent.
The group is seeking a mandamus order to compel the AGF and the EFCC to provide it with information on the 270 landed properties, exotic cars, money and other valuables allegedly recovered from Maina.
The group said its suit followed the alleged refusal of the EFCC to oblige its request for information via a December 28, 2018 letter.
