MAINA: Magu confirms sabotage, says people protecting him have scuttled arrest bid

Ibrahim Magu, Acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has confirmed the allegations and speculations by some people that effort to arrest and prosecute Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), was being thwarted by powerful forces within government.

Magu, who refused to disclose the identity of the persons allegedly protecting Maina, distanced himself from the lapses that led to Maina’s initial escape.

In 2013, Maina had fled the country after the EFCC declared him wanted over alleged pension fraud.

But recently returned to the country under controversial circumstances, and was reinstated as a director in the Ministry of Interior, generating widespread furore.

President Muhammadu Buhari eventually ordered his sack and directed a probe.

Read also: MAINA’S RETURN: Don’t blame us, ‘our federal structure is designed in a way that one can hide’- Osinbajo

Magu spoke when he featured on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme.

He said, “We would go after everybody who is involved. I am telling you, we will not spare anybody,” Magu said.

“He has people who are protecting him and that has made it difficult for us to get him arrested. You can imagine, he was promoted. It is devastating, it is beyond my understanding.”

Asked if he knew the whereabouts of Maina, he said, “Of course if I knew why would I be appealing to Nigerians to give us support.

“We are determined to get to the root of this matter. That’s why we have renewed the investigation. We will retrieve all property or whatever must have been stolen from public funds.

“This is something that we have done as far back as 2011. The matter has been in court, and Maina was also charged before the court. He was arraigned in absentia. I assure you, we will get him sooner or later. The National Assembly is supporting us. We are collaborating and we are also giving them support. We have no problem with National Assembly.”

Magu also revealed that the support from other security agencies was not satisfactory, calling on them and other Nigerians to provide more support to bolster the anti-corruption fight.

“There are some support, synergy, cooperation from time to time but it is not satisfactory because every security agency has some responsibilities in the fight against corruption,” he said.

“I want us to be fully committed in the fight against corruption because the greatest enemy of Nigeria today is corruption and the corrupt people are now celebrating.

“The way the media and other Nigerians can help us is to give us information to get Maina arrested,” he said.

 

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