JUST IN: DSS Arrests ‘Wanted’ Maina

The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly arrested the fugitive former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdul-Rasheed Maina.

ORIENTAL TIMES recalls that Maina was on July 21, 2015, charged before a Federal High Court on a 24-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2017, declared Maina wanted, following his refusal to honour the commission’s invitations.

Although top government officials tried to smuggle him into the country and attempted to reinstate him to office, the process backfired.

Recall that the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari and former Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, reportedly clashed over the leaking of a memo which revealed that Buhari was aware of the move to reinstate Maina.

Maina, who has been on the run from the Nigerian government, was arrested at a hotel in Abuja after he sneaked into the country from his Dubai, United Arab Emirates base.

The DSS might hand him over to the EFCC for trial over a questionable N2billion biometrics contract, a source told The Nation.

“Following inter-agency collaboration, intelligence report indicated that Maina had sneaked into the country from Dubai.

“He was trailed to an Abuja hotel where he was arrested after operatives outwitted those who tried to ferry him away in a bullet-proof vehicle.

“He is currently being quizzed. He is likely to be handed over to the EFCC for trial. He has a pending case since 2015,” the source said.