By Ene Abu
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how several houses were discovered in the name of Faisal, son of Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team.
An EFCC official, Mohammed Goje, who investigated the Mainas gave details of the property while giving evidence as the Second Prosecution Witness (PW1) in the trial of Faisal.
Goje said while investigating Abdulrasheed Maina, the name of his son, Faisal featured prominently.
According to the EFCC man, the commission came across an account named Alhaji Faisal Abdullahi Farms with the UBA, of which he (Faisal) is a co-signatory with Abdulrasheed Maina.
He said Alhaji Faisal Farms is operated by Abdulrasheed Maina and that investigations revealed that the account was funded with proceeds of crime.
He listed the companies (with Faisal as director) used in the deals: Drew Investment & Construction Company LTD; Cruise City Ltd; Northridge Property Int’l Ltd; and Mambilla Resorts.
“We also discovered that a property at Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Kaduna, was acquired in the name of Drew Investment & Construction Ltd.
“We also discovered that another property at Gombe Road, Biu LGA of Borno State was acquired in the name of Cruise City Ltd.
“We also discovered that a property at No. 3A Sambo Road, Kaduna, was acquired in the name of Faisal A. Abdullahi.
“A property at Plot 165 Life Camp, Abuja was acquired in the name of Doctor Faisal A. Abdullahi.
“A property at No 16E, Katuru road, Kaduna was also acquired in the name of Faisal A. Abdullahi.
“The full name of the defendant is Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina but in the course of filling the declaration of assets form, he indicated his grandfather’s name as Abdullahi.”
Viewpoint Housing News reports that Abdulrasheed Maina was chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, established to restructure the pension office.
The team was constituted in 2010 to conduct investigations into pension accounts audits in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the police.
Abdulrasheed Maina who had been outside Nigeria was arrested along with the defendant (Faisal) in Abuja on September 29, 2019.
