A top operative of the Nigeria
Police, International Police Organisation Department (Interpol), said on
Wednesday that its counterpart in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, has reported
sighting the embattled Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Chairman, Abdulrasheed
Maina, who recently fled the country in a hotel in Dubai.
The police source also added
that Maina, when he was sighted, spotted a white caftan, with a white cap to
match, a sunshade and a brown sandal.
The source said he was seen
coming in and out of Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai, but was not accosted because
of two armed bodyguards with him.
It was gathered that the
development has been communicated to the Inspector General of Police (IGP),
Muhammed Abubakar, who is expected to issue further directive on the matter.
Our correspondent was also
informed in a telephone interview that Maina changes hotels often, “sometimes,
he sleeps in a private home, whose ownership we are yet to established.
“But, we are trailing him, and
we have alerted IGP Abubakar, and soon, diplomatic protocol would be sorted out
that would facilitate his easy arrest.”
Maina allegedly fled the
country to escape arrest by police and other security agents on his trail.
He was reported to have moved
to one of the Middle East following the arrest warrant issued against him by
the Senate and the decision by the Presidency to discipline him for absconding
from his duty post without permission.
A close source to the PRTT
boss, who had since been declared wanted by the police, told news hounds that
Maina left the country once it became clear to him that the Presidency, which
had allegedly been shielding him, had given up on him.
The source said with partial
withdrawal of the security men around Maina by the government, it was obvious
to him that he should either report to the police or the Senate, to clear himself
over allegations of pension funds embezzlement.
The source admitted: “I can
tell you that Maina is not in the country as we speak. He knows very well that
the game is up and there is no point for him to continue a fight he can hardly
win convincingly.”
But Maina’s media aide, Hassan
Salihu, said he was neither aware of Maina’s whereabouts, nor what had happened
to the heavy security personnel around him.
Speaking •••Daily
Independent••• on phone, Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, said though the police authorities
were yet to ascertain the actual situation regarding Maina’s whereabouts, the
warrant signed by Senate President for his arrests still subsists even if he
travels abroad.
His words, “I have no
information to the effect that Alhaji Abdurashid Maina is out of this country
or has sneaked to Dubai.
“However, as long as the
warrant issued against him remains in force, the Nigerian Police will do
everything within legal and legitimate means available to us, to seek him out,
arrest him and hand him over to the Senate as mandated in that warrant”.
Asked if there was any
possibility of the Police headquarters entering into an agreement with
Interpol, of which Nigeria is an executive member, to have him arrested and
extradited to Nigeria, Mba said he was not in a position to comment on such
possibility.
Source: Daily Independent
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