DSS hands over the Embattled Ex-Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Andulrasheed Maina, to EFCC for prosecution for alleged fraud.

Department of State Services (DSS) says it has handed over the embattled ex-chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Andulrasheed Maina, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution for alleged fraud.

EFCC had charged Maina in July 2015 alongside the ex-Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, and others before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 24 counts bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretences, but they have been unable to arrest Maina because Maina was at large. EFCC in November 2015 declared Maina wanted, saying this was because of his involvement in the over N2 billion Pensions Biometric Scam in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Maina was arrested on Monday in Abuja by operatives of the DSS at the Pennsylvania Avenue Hotel, Utako, Abuja. The DSS disclosed that Maina’s 20-year-old son Faisal pulled a gun on its operatives in an attempt to resist his father’s arrest on Monday.

Spokesman for the agency, Dr Peter Afunnaya, said in a statement on Wednesday that Maina’s arrest was made possible because of the combined operation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Services (DSS).

He said, “The arrest which was effected at the Pennsylvania Avenue Hotel, Utako, Abuja, followed a request by the EFCC to the service to assist in the apprehension of the suspect. Maina was arrested in company with his 20-year- old son, Faisal Maina, who unsuccessfully tried to resist arrest.”

“The lad even pulled a pistol on the security agents involved in the operation. He was, however, disarmed and arrested. He is a final year student at the Canadian University Dubai where he is studying Telecoms Engineering.” “Items recovered from the suspects included a pistol with live ammunition, a bullet-proof Range Rover SUV, a BMW Saloon car, foreign currencies, a Phantom 7 drone and sensitive documents.”