Alleged pension fraud: EFCC vows to appeal court judgement stopping it from declaring Maina wanted

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will appeal Tuesday’s judgement of a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, restraining the commission from declaring the Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abudulrasheed Maina, wanted.

EFCC Acting Spokesman, Mr Tony Orilade, made this known in a press statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court also gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission and its affiliates, from further declaring Maina wanted in relation to the issue of pension scam.

Orilade said “As a commission, we state that such a pronouncement amounts to a clog on the wheels of our operations in execution of our statutory duties.

“The judgment must not be allowed to stand because it is not only a miscarriage of justice but grossly inimical to the culture of corrupt-free society which the commission is striving so hard to enthrone.

“We will therefore, appeal the judgement.

“We further wish to state that we will not relent to do all that is required within the ambit of the law in our avowed commitment to bring every Nigerian with ill-gotten wealth to justice,” he said

NAN reports that the EFCC had in 2017, declared Maina wanted, following his refusal to honour the commission’s invitations.

Maina, however, on Sept. 5, 2018, in a suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/957/2918, asked the court to decide whether the commission could lawfully exercise powers of declaring him wanted.