Maina’s Recall reportedly ordered by AGF Abubakar Malami

Attorney General of the Federation – Abubakar Malami

The reinstatement of the former chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms Abdulrasheed Maina was reportedly ordered by the Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

Maina who has been declared wanted by the EFCC since 2013 was reinstated and promoted to the position of Director in the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of Interior.

His reinstatement came as a directive from Malami, according to a letter signed by Mustapha L. Sulaiman for the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) chairman, The Nation reports. The recall was opposed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita.

It was learned that Oyo-Ita advised against the recall of the wanted former pension boss, and refused to add to a memo routed through her office to the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior.

The letter, dated September 18, 2017, written to the Ministry of Interior, stated that Maina had been reinstated.

The said letter also referenced another written by Malami, requesting the FCSC to give consequential effect to the judgment that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.

Malami’s letter therefore asked that Maina be reinstated from February 21, 2013, the date he was dismissed from the service.

The letter read:

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 judgment that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.

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 the 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 the 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 the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to the FCSC for further necessary action.

The FCSC at its meeting held on Wednesday, 16th August, 2017 considered the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior on the disciplinary case against Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, Deputy Director (Administration), Salary Grade Level 16.

The FCSC, thereafter, approved the reinstatement of the Officer into the Service with effect from 21st February, 2013 (being the date he was earlier dismissed from Service).

The FCSC also approved for the Officer to sit for the next promotion examination to the Post of Director (Administration), SGL. 17.

Following the sack of the former pension boss by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also raided one of his Abuja properties.

An EFCC spokesperson who spoke with Vanguard said they were looking for the civil servant, whose campaign posters for the 2019 Gubernatorial Elections in Borno State were recently sighted.

The spokesperson said:

We are looking for Maina everywhere and we will certainly get him and bring him to account for his action.

See the FCSC’s letter below:

Photo Credit: The Nation