Nigerian students call for open public investigation into looted pension fund

macfranc007 November 04, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Nnenna Ibeh

- Some Nigerian students have called for an open and public investigation into the alleged looted pension fund

- The students made the calk through their parent body, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

- The students alleged that there is a gang up against Maina

Nigerian students have called for an open and public investigation into the alleged looted pension fund.

The students under the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari the decision to disengage the former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform, Abdulrasheed Maina, was hasty.

The latter date November 2, 2017, and signed by the president of NANS, Aruna Kadiri, alleged that there is a gang up against Maina.

Kadiri said: “The decision was hasty and generally not of the interest of Nigerians. As a body of intellectualism, we observed that there is a ganged up against Mr Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina who was the chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Taskforce Team, PRTT under the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

“The PRTT has Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) the Independent Corrupt Practices and other offenses Related Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Security (DSS) the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, the Nigeria Police Force, the accountant general of the federation, the auditor general of the federation, the federal ministry of finance among others.

“We, as Nigerians can not be clouded by the diversionary method of the cabal to shift our minds from the N1.6 trillion to N2.1 billion. We also gathered that, immediately Mr Maina’s PRTT was disbanded, the then government created Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD). PTAD discontinued the on going biometric supervised by the PRTT and got approval of N8bn for the same biometric which up till now, is yet to be carried out," Kadiri said.

He noted that the director of finance of the Maina’s led PRTT is now the director of pension in PTAD while the former EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, heads the police special fraud unit in Lagos.

Kadiri said the association believes it is not possible for the chairman to steal such huge amount without the finance director and other team members being aware of that.

"Since the EFCC and ICPC were members of the Maina’s committee, and as well implicated in the looted treasury, an independent investigative panel be set up to properly investigate the allegations and counter allegations. An investigative panel with live coverage which will boost the anti corruption war of your administration will be highly appreciated by Nigerians.

“For the sake of justice, equity and fairness, we also advice and recommend that your Excellency immediately reabsorb Mr Maina pending the outcome of the public investigation and if found wanting be properly prosecuted," Kadiri added.

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NAIJ.com earlier reported that Maina had written a letter to the Senate asking for a review of his case.

He also called for a probe into the various actions taken against him by the federal government.

The former pension boss in his letter said the task force team which began operation in January 2011, saved about N1.6 trillion from pension thieves.

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