15th February, 2013
President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigeria’s top bureaucrat, the Head of Service, to commence “disciplinary action against Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, chairman of Pension Reform Task Force for absconding from duty.
Jonathan’s action followed a report by the Inspector-General of Police of the difficulties encountered by officers to execute the warrant issued by the Senate for the arrest of Maina.
A Section of the Federal Government’s Public Service Rules lists Absence from Duty without Leave as an act of Serious Misconduct punishable by dismissal.
The Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar stated in his report to President Jonathan that after receiving the Senate’s warrant for the arrest of Alhjai Maina, he had constituted a team of detectives under the leadership of a Deputy Inspector-General of Police to find and arrest him in compliance with the Senate’s directive.
The Inspector-General said that the police have since mounted surveillance at Alhaji Maina’s home and Office but has been unable to arrest him because he has gone into hiding and stayed away from both locations since the warrant was issued, leading to his publicly being declared wanted by the Police.
Alhaji Abubakar assured the President that “intensive search” operations were still ongoing for the arrest of Alhaji Maina and that the Police will not relent until he is apprehended and produced before the Senate.
In his directive to the Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Sali, President Jonathan noted that the Inspector-General’s report clearly indicated that Alhaji Maina had absconded from his official duties.
President Jonathan directed the Head of Service to act expeditiously on the disciplinary proceedings against Alhaji Maina and report back to him on actions taken.
The Nigerian senate had accused President Jonathan of shielding the embattled Pension chief, who the Senate wanted to appear before it to explain discrepancies in the pension fund.
Maina had ignored the Senate summons on several occasions, leading to the exasperated Senate to ask for his dismissal and his arrest by the Inspector General of police, M.D. Abubakar.