EFCC DECLARES EX-PENSION TASK FORCE CHAIRMAN MAINA WANTED

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

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

The EFCC made this known in a wanted notice published on its X handle and signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale.

According to the commission, Maina, 61, is an indigene of Biu, Borno State, and is wanted in connection with an alleged case of receiving stolen property.

“The public is hereby notified that Abdularasheed Abdullahi Maina, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of receiving stolen property,” the notice stated.

The commission urged anyone with information on Maina’s whereabouts to assist in locating him.

It asked members of the public with useful information to contact its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja.

The EFCC also directed members of the public to contact it through its designated telephone line or email address, info@efcc.gov.ng, or report information to the nearest police station or other security agencies.

The commission, however, did not provide further details about the alleged stolen property case, including the property involved or when the alleged offence occurred.

Maina has previously faced legal proceedings over allegations relating to pension funds.

The former pension reform task force chairman was earlier declared wanted by the EFCC after he failed to appear for trial in a case involving alleged N2bn fraud linked to the pension reform programme.

He was subsequently arrested in Niger Republic in 2019 and returned to Nigeria to face trial.

In November 2021, a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Maina and sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment for money laundering offences.

The prosecution had alleged that he was involved in the handling of funds derived from unlawful activities.

The Nigerian Correctional Service later confirmed that Maina was released from custody on February 25, 2025, after serving part of his sentence.

The service said his release was based on his good conduct in prison and was carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.