The Borno Young Professionals have called for an open investigation of the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Taskforce, Abdulrasheed Maina.
The group who revealed this at a news conference in Abuja yesterday said an open investigation of Maina will enable Nigerians to know the truth of the matter.
The Coordinator of the group, Mshelia Suleiman who spoke on behalf of other member of the group said Maina has done so much for Nigeria in terms of Pension restructuring and recovery of looted public funds.
He said, "About a month ago, the air wave of the country is characterized with the news of Mr Maina being reinstated and disengaged by the Federal Government without any recourse to the looted pension funds recovered by Mr Maina's Pension Reform Committee PRTT.
"It is a sad moment for us the entire people of Borno that a country with the image of Anti corruption could still behave like that of the celebrated corrupt era without informing Nigerians and the world, the bold steps taken to curb corruption through the PRTT headed by our son, Abdulrasheed Maina.
"Gentlemen of the press, it is disheartening to hear that, after the recovery of N1.6tr by Mallam Maina and his committee, (which has the Efcc as an integral part), the same Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC would now be accusing Maina of mismanaging N2.1bn which was not given to him and his committee but paid directly to contractors and officials of EFCC, ICPC, PRESENT DG NIA, REP OF ACCOUNTANT GENERAL, REPRESENTATIVEW OF CG IMMIGRATION, POLICE, PRISONS AND CUSTOMS through the office of the Head of Service of the Federation only to be supervised by the PRTT lead by Mr Maina. It is also on public domain that the former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan approved 3,4% of the total recovered funds for the committee as compensation which up to this moment, our son is yet to benefit from.
"We must let the world know that, the various allegations by the EFCC against the person of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdulallihi Maina is a calculated campaign not only against his person but the entire Borno young professionals. The Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Mustapha Magu is also from Borno and have being working with Alhaji Maina, he knows his importance to the Nation.This is true because, as a professional, you may not be bold to deliver the needed services when given a serious assignment that regards corrupt elements in the country. This is corruption fighting back and some interested government officials not being sincere to Nigerians by letting the world know what has actually transpired as a result of Alhaji Mainas unblemished and courageous job as chairman of the PRTT.
"We the Borno youths shall not allow our brother, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina to come out except the Federal Government sets up a Pannel that is equivalent to that of Justice Oputa where every trial will be done in the open for Nigerians to know the actual details of what took place while he held fort as the chairman of PRTT.
"We say no to political investigation, it must be open, the EFCC is NOT CLEAN TO EVEN START INVESTIGATING AN ISSUE THEY ACTIVELY TOOK PART. We must tell Nigerians the real pension thieves. Intimidation will not work in this 21st century because people voted the Government and as such must be seen to be checkmating any institution that constitutes itself as the ALFA AND OMEGA OF SINCERITY. Mr Yusuf Teidi had accused some senators of the 7th Senate of of having taken bribe of N3bn through Sen. Etuk of the 7th senate earlier than now.
"President Muhammadu Buhari belongs to everybody, we believed that he is being shaded from the truth, Mr President must do justice to the people especially the pensioners by ensuring that, the N3tr stashed in the 97 other pension offices and mini outfits as revealed by our brother's letter to the senate are fully recovered. What crime has our son committed? That he was given an assignment to restructure pension and he did it by blocking loopholes where funds were being siphoned through is now an offense? He recovered so much money, investments, properties etc and the same system is being used to crush him right infront of Nigerians and we were beclouded by the paid media frenzy without looking in between the lines. WHY ARE WE NOT ASKING FOR THE WHEREABOUT OF THE RECOVERED FUNDS AND MONEY N1.63TR INSTEAD THEY ARE PUSHING US TO LOOK AT A MEAGRE N2BN ALLEGATION AS COMPARED TO N1.63TR HABA NIGERIANS?? IS THE N2BN CLOSE TO WHAT MAINA OUGHT TO BE PAID FIR THESE RECOVERIES?? AND WHY DONT WE AS A NATION UNDERSTAND THAT THE APPROVAL GIVEN BY PRESIDENT BUHARI TO BRING MAINA TO RECOVER MORE LOOTED FUNDS IS A BLESSING TO NIGERIA.
"ANOTHER POSER IS; HOW MUCH LOOPHOLES OF STEALLING BILLIONS HAS MAINA BLOCKED SINCE HIS RETURN TO NIGERIA IN JANUARY THIS YEAR. NIGERIANS SHOULD ASK QUESTION AND NOT TAKE ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING FROM THE MEDIA.
"If President Buhari sets up an open investigative Pannel, we guarranttee Nigerians that MAINA would be more celebrated and many corrupt Nigerians will run away and leave their jobs. That is why an institution is being used to concoct fabricated stories by coercing some staffers of head of service into writing baseless stories against MAINA. LETS HAVE THE PANEL AND SEE ITS AFTERMATH.
"Nigerians are too wise to abandon N1.6tr in pursue of N2.1bn. We can not be distracted by the diversionary tactics of mischievous persons who are out to sabotage the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari at this critical time that Alhaji Maina is helping the government.
"We want to thank the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami who stands on the part of truth by ensuring that Nigerians know the details of the reinstatement of our brother, Alhaji Maina and its legality. This is how a man of honour and integrity is recognized. We know that Malami has been the strongest supporter and corruption free minister in the Buhari Government and this is no news to all.
"We are not deterred, we believe in justice, uwe are committed to the Anti corruption war of President Buhari and shall do our best to rid our country of corruption"he said
No comments