Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday denied signing a letter purportedly issued to delete the name of Abdulrasheed Maina, ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT) from the Interpol watchlist in November, 2015.
Magu, who spoke at the sideline of the ongoing investigate public hearing on the disappearance, re-appearance and reinstatement of Maina, also frowned at the letter dated 1st December, 2015 alluded to by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
The EFCC chief who queried the source of Maina’s stupendous wealth and several companies, as a civil servant and deputy director, challenged Maina to come and defend his claims on the over N1.6 trillion worth of properties seized and handed over to the Commission.
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“My concern is that you people seem to be glorifying a criminal, how does he comes about this stupendous wealth Maina has? Maina should come out and explain. Not to be sending you people video messages of himself, he is not fair, he has not been fair to the system.
“Let him come and explain the sources of his stupendous wealth that cannot be explained. He has been a civil servant, an assistant director, you people should stop glorifying criminals. I mean you are giving them chance, you are celebrating them, I mean the media. You are giving him a lot of attention that does not exist and celebrate his status.
“Look at the amount he’s quoting for EFCC. It’s not possible and if you know how difficult, you cannot tamper with exhibits, it is not possible. We have come out with all the details of the properties we have recovered in the cause of investigating this pension fraud.
“I think some media houses have published it, we’ve come out with the allocation for everybody to see,” Magu said to the media, after the investigate public hearing.
He also vowed to investigate the purported letter issued to withdraw Maina on the watch-list, as alluded to by the Nigerian Immigration Service, adding that he could not recollect signing such letter dated 18th November, 2015, noting that he assumed office on the 11th November, 2015.
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The EFCC helmsman however disclosed that all assets within the custody of the Commission under interim forfeiture, as pronounced by the court, are subject of investigation, except 32 assets that are permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, adding that all the assets in question have been contracted to a reputable estate management firm.
In his presentation, Abubakar Magaji, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Interior, who issued the reinstatement letter to Maina, urged the committee to hold him responsible for the erroneous reinstatement.
Magaji also tendered an unreserved apology to the Head of Service of the Federation for referring to her as ‘that person’.
Maina’s counsel during an interview with legislative correspondents, disclosed that the reinstatement letter which the Ministry of Interior issued reinstating Maina was dated 23rd September, 2017.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
