5:T756,

Embattled billionaire public servant, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, has escaped abroad to evade arrest.

News of his flight came two days after President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an investigation into allegations of misconduct levelled against him.

Maina, Chairman, Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has had running battles with the Senate, which on Wednesday issued a warrant of arrest for him and told President Jonathan to choose between Maina and maintaining cordial relations with the National Assembly. A news alert just sent via sms by the Kaduna-based Desert herald newspaper disclosed that Maina has escaped to Singapore. It is not yet clear from where he fled but News Express reports that he must have taken an illegal route in view of the manhunt for him.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, had on Thursday disclosed that President Jonathan had directed the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, to probe the sundry allegations, including that of contempt levelled against Maina by the Senate.

While the Senate accuses Maina of having looted billions of naira from the pension fund, the man claimed to be persecuted and accused the senators of witch-hunting him.

It would be recalled that the Senate while debating a motion moved by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and supported by 107 members, over Maina’s persistent refusal to honour the legislature’s invitation, had also demanded that the president should order Maina’s dismissal from the public service and he should be arrested and prosecuted for fraud.

The next day, the Senate Thursday rejected a motion aimed at commending Jonathan on his commitment to polio eradication in Nigeria.
•Photo: Maina has fled to evade arrest.

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