Again, EFCC declares ex-pension boss Maina wanted

Ex-Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina. File photo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has, again, declared the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property.

The anti-graft agency made the declaration in a public notice on Wednesday, accompanied by Maina’s photograph.

Maina, 61, an indigene of Biu in Borno State, was previously declared wanted by the EFCC in November 2015 over allegations of procurement fraud, stealing, and money laundering relating to the pension biometric scam.

EFCC, in its statement, urged members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact the commission or the nearest police station and other security agencies.

The notice stated, “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 commission listed its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja as points where information about Maina could be provided.

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It also gave a telephone number and its official email address for members of the public to submit information.

Maina became prominent nationally as the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, where he was involved in efforts to recover pension funds and tackle alleged fraud in the pension system.

His tenure, however, was followed by a major legal controversy after he was prosecuted by the EFCC over alleged money laundering involving funds linked to pension reforms.

Maina was later convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja in November 2022 and sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for money laundering-related offences. The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets linked to the case.

The former pension task force chairman subsequently appealed the conviction.

The EFCC’s latest notice did not state whether the current wanted declaration is connected to his previous pension-related case or disclose details of the alleged stolen property involved.

Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.