Nation
Maina: Court Summons Malami, Magu, Falana Others
A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, and human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), over the ongoing fraud case involving Abdulrasheed Maina, a former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team.
Others summoned include: the Director of Compliance, Central Bank of Nigeria; an official of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Ibrahim Kaigama; a representative of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, G.T Idris; and a former Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Wakil.
Also summoned are: Hassan Salihu of the ICPC and M. Mustapha of Zenith Bank Plc.
The summons, read in part, “You are commanded in the name of the President and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to attend before this court… to give evidence on behalf of the 1st defendant (Maina).
Confirming receipt of his summons, Falana said that he was ready to appear before the court in order to address allegations that he allegedly bought one of the properties recovered by Maina.
He said, “I am delighted that the learned trial judge has provided me with the golden opportunity to shed light on the needless controversy.”
Maina was an assistant director before he was appointed in 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan to head the pension reform task force.
But in 2012, he was accused of leading a massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100billion, and in 2013, he was dismissed by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
Maina was invited by the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and Local Government Administration. Later, an arrest warrant was issued against him by the joint Senate panel.
He ignored the panel and went ahead to sue the Senate and Mohammed Abubakar, the then Inspector-General of Police.
The police subsequently declared him wanted and he went into hiding.
In July, 2015, Maina was charged by the EFCC alongside Stephen Oronsaye and two others before a Federal High Court on 24 counts of procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.
Oronsaye and the two other accused appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to the charge, but Maina remained at large and was declared wanted by the EFCC.
Maina fled to the United Arab Emirates from where he kept lobbying officials of the Buhari administration.
While at UAE, he met with senior officials of the Buhari government, including the attorney-general.
He later returned secretly into the country and was promoted to director at the Ministry of Interior.
Following public outcry, he was dismissed again and arraigned before Justice Okon Abang and is currently facing trial for alleged N2billion fraud.
His son, who is a co-defendant, has jumped bail, fleeing to the United States.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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