EFCC traces £6million pension cash to a bank in UK

- EFCC detectives have traced the sum of £6million from pension office to a bank in UK

- The money is reportedly in a bank account being managed by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(OHCSF)

- The anti-graft agency has also locked up new properties reportedly owned by ex-pension boss, Abdulrasheed Maina

Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have traced about £6m pension funds to a United Kingdom bank account under the name of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(OHCSF).

The Nation reports that the money is being suspected to have been tampered with by some government officials but the two former Heads of the Civil Service of the Federation(Engr. E. Okeke and Prof. O. A. Afolabi) reportedly did their best to protect the funds from being looted.

There are reports that the EFCC has also seized new properties linked to the embattled ex- chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Task Team, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, whose whereabouts is still unknown.

Maina is reportedly one of the signatories to the account recently discovered in the UK.

A source while speaking on the EFCC's recent actions on Maina's properties said:“Our detectives have linked a large farm in Keffi to Maina and we are going to invoke Interim Assets forfeiture Clause in the EFCC (Establishment) Act.

“We have also sealed off two of the suspect’s houses at No. A5 B. Close and No. 9A in Kado Estate in Abuja. We have located some houses in Maiduguri too.

“So far, we have taken possession of the houses in Abuja and Kaduna.”

On the money discovered in a UK account, the source said: “It is certainly a huge racket by civil servants some of who are still in the system. For instance, our team uncovered £6m pension funds in an account in the UK. The money was for the payment of the pensions of some British colonial officers who served in Nigeria."

According to a report on the UK account, those in charge did not mention anything until an investigation by the EFCC unravel the money.

A report by the EFCC on the £6million account said: “In respect of the Federal Government 6million pounds sterling investment in the U.K with Crown agents, it is worth noting that the information was discovered as a result of a search executed in the residence of Dr. Shuaibu Sani Teidi during the course of our investigation.

“Dr. Shuaibu Sani Teidi failed to disclose the account during his handing over when he was leaving the Head of Service. Mr. Charles Bornant was invited and he confirmed that Dr. Shaibu did not disclose nor include the account in his handing over. Investigation into the account is still ongoing based on relevant information at our disposal.

“During the course of investigating fraud in the Pension office of the Head of Civil service of the Federation (OHCSF), a search warrant was executed in the residence of Dr. Shaibu Sani Teidi (former director Pension Accounts) where a laptop was recovered. From the analysis of the computer laptop, a document captioned “Report of the visit to Crown Agents Investment United kingdom” was discovered. The document reveals the nature of the investment made by the OHCSF with Crown Agents Investment, UK."

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Nigerian students under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have called for immediate suspension of all those questionably involved in reinstating to civil service of ex-chairman of Pension Task Team Abdulrasheed Maina.

The call was issued by NANS’s president Chinonso Obasi in a statement issued on Sunday, October 29 in Abuja.

Obasi said the matter was embarrassing to the nation and suspension of those involved would ensure that the scandal is adequately probed.