Whistleblowing: Group petitions UN, AI over Nigerian govt’s alleged refusal to pay Maina 5% fee

A pro-North civil society organisation, Arewa Youth Progressives Alliance, (AYPA), has petitioned the United Nations (UN) and Amnesty International (AI), seeking their intervention in the release of 5% whistleblowing fee to the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Mr Maina was recently sentenced to eight years imprisonment over the misappropriation of pension funds.

But the group, in a petition dated Thursday, November 11, 2021 and signed by its chairman, Nasiru Doka, said the Federal Government of Nigeria had denied Maina his 5% whistle-blower fee entitled to him after aiding the recovery of N2.9bn for the government.

“We, therefore, pray that Amnesty International will look into this case, and call on the Nigerian Government to ensure that justice is done, according to the rule of the law.

“And Nigerian Government should also honour its part of the agreement to pay Maina his 5% Whistle Blower fee,” the AYPA chairman said.

The group also added that the judgement indicting Maina of wrongdoing was a miscarriage of justice.

The petition alleged that there were “vested interests in this trial willing to truncate the course of justice, and make sure Maina was jailed regardless of the available evidence.”