Punish Those Responsible For Maina’s Saga – NUJ Tells Buhari

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Tuesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for directing the immediate sack of recalled Abdulrasheed Maina from the Federal Civil Service but insisted on appropriate punishment for all those involved in the embarrassing recall saga.

According to the National Secretary of NUJ, Shuaibu Usman Leman (Walin Shadalafiya), the union was particularly happy over the sack of Maina, who was a prominent figure in the pension funds scam.

“We wish to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for swiftly acting to ensure that corruption is not glorified in the nation’s Civil Service, by ordering the immediate disengagement of Abdulrasheed Maina.

“We are particularly happy that Abdulrasheed Maina, who had been in the eye of the storm for allegedly stealing Pension Funds, was not allowed to continue to stay in office after he was hurriedly and dubiously recalled from suspension by some highly placed persons in President Buhari’s Government.

“Maina was the sacked Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms who was declared wanted in 2013 by EFCC for alleged massive pension fraud scheme amounting to more than N100 billion.

“This case is of immensely interest to the Union not because Maina is involved but because, despite the much-advertised anti-corruption stance of the President Muhammadu Buhari Government, there are yet some members of his Government who do not share the vision of fighting this cancer that is trying to destroy the nation. Indeed, reinstating Maina back to office by these unscrupulous persons in Government is not only the most audacious thing to happen in recent times but equally callous,” the statement said.