Immigration puts Maina on watch list

The Nigeria Immigration Service says it has directed its operatives at border formations and other command posts to look out for the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, and prevent his escape from the country.

It said all NIS personnel across the country had also been issued strict directives to arrest Maina on sight.

The NIS Public Relations Officer, Sunday James, told our correspondent on Friday that Maina had been placed on the watch list afresh.

He explained that with the Interpol alert and the Magistrate Court ordering the fugitive’s arrest, all NIS operatives and commands were duty-bound to prevent Maina’s escape from the country.

He said, “The Interpol has issued an arrest alert on Maina and a Magistrate Court has also ordered his arrest, so this means that he has been placed on the watch list afresh and a directive has gone out to all our formations and commands, particularly those at the borders, to prevent his escape and arrest him.”

The Presidency had on Thursday said an Abuja Magistrate’s Court, as well as the Interpol, had issued fresh warrants for Maina’s arrest.

He added, “Maina’s investigation has been expanded. This is beyond reinstatement. It has gone beyond that. You know that the INTERPOL has just issued an international warrant on him. A Nigerian court has also issued yet another warrant of arrest.”

The Force spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, could not be reached for an update on police efforts to arrest Maina as his phone rang out.