BY INALEGWU SHAIBU

ABUJA—More revelations of fraud in the pension scheme came to the fore yesterday as Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Toyin Ishola told Senate panel that the Chairman of Pension Reform Taskforce Team, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina allegedly defrauded the Police Pension Fund of N21 billion.

Mr. Ishola who is the Assistant Chief Accountant in the Police Pension office told the joint Senate Committee on establishment, states and local government probing the alleged fraud in the pension scheme that Alhaji Maina committed many fraudulent activities within the three months period he spent at the police pension fund.

He said, “within the three month that the task force team can to the police pension, a lot of fraudulent activities went on, the chairman used N240 million to capture only 20 retirees with the biometric data. He also awarded contracts to the tune of N12 million for the machines and to cover for his frauds, the contract was divided into small units.

According to him, “the chairman opened three accounts within three months. There was N8 billion in Fidelity Bank, N3 billion in UBA, and N10 billion First Bank, Maitama branch.

“The account in the Fidelity Bank was domiciled in the name of the younger brother of the chairman, Danjuma Zubairu. We went to him to change the signatory to the account four times, he refused and said unless the chairman approved the change of signatory first.

“The said amount was fixed since then with monthly interest of N100 million. He has expended over N3 billion within this period with no proper records at the police pension office.”

DCP Ishola as said the fraud was so open officials from the office Head of Service of the Federation, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offenses Commission partook in it.

He however added that an official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, declined receiving N4.8 million kick back deposited in his account by the Chairman.

“The EFCC official said over his dead body for him to touch blood money. He returned the N4.8 million deposited in his account to us and this is the document to prove the return.” He said.

The Deputy Police Commissioner also accused Alhaji Maina of spending N4.9 million on his security aids within the three months period.

According to him, “Part of the security personnel also took part in the fraud. The chairman spent a whooping N4.9 million on his security aids under three months.”

The revelations prompted the chairman of the committee, Senator Aloysius Etok to issue warrant of arrest on Alhaji Maina.

He said, “The Inspector General of Police should deliver the chairman of the Taskforce, Abdulrasheed Maina to this committee by 10 am tomorrow (today).

The committee also summoned the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, erstwhile and current chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri and Ibrahim Lamorde to appear before it and explain their roles in the alleged frauds.

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was said to have given directives to the taskforce team to take over the police pension payment following allegation of N110 million frauds in the police pension office.

The committee lauded courage of Mr. Ishola in revealing the alleged frauds perpetrated by the chairman of the taskforce and other for police protection for him.

Etok said, “God will bless you, Nigeria needs people like you, thank you for your bravery and courage. This gentleman is our witness and should never be tempered with.”