The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a fresh wanted notice for Abdulrasheed Maina, former Chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reformed Task Team, in connection with an alleged case of receiving stolen property. The public notice, signed by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale on Wednesday, September 23, urges Nigerians with any knowledge of Maina's location to report to the Commission's offices or other security agencies immediately.
EFCC's Public Notice and Contact Points
The notice states: "The public is hereby notified that ABDULRASHEED ABDULLAHI MAINA, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Receiving Stolen Properties." The EFCC listed its offices in Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kaduna, Ilorin, Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, and Gombe as contact points. Members of the public may also reach the Commission via email at info@efcc.gov.ng or report to the nearest police station.
Background of the Case
The EFCC first arraigned Maina alongside his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 25, 2019. During the trial, Maina jumped bail in 2020, prompting Justice Abang to order his arrest. He was later found in the Republic of Niger and returned to Abuja in December 2020, after which he was held at a correctional facility while proceedings continued.
Justice Abang eventually convicted Maina on multiple counts. He received five years on Count 2, eight years each on Counts 3, 4, and 7, two years on Count 5, three years on Count 8, and five years each on Counts 6 and 9. The court also ordered him to refund N314 million to the Federal Government.
Court Ruling and Appeal
In delivering his ruling, Justice Abang said: "Having considered how the pensioners' funds were stolen, the convict is inhuman, heartless and has no compassion for the pensioners. Some have suffered, died in the process while waiting for their reward on earth." On October 7, 2021, Maina's son, Faisal Maina, was also convicted and sentenced by the same court. In 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld Maina's conviction, affirming the lower court's findings.
The latest wanted notice marks a fresh chapter in a legal saga that has stretched over several years, as the EFCC continues its push to bring Maina to account for the new allegation of receiving stolen property.
