The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita has countered the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who on Sunday blamed her office for the reinstatement of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina.

Oyo-Ita on Monday denied approving Maina's reinstatement into the Federal Civil Service, in a statement signed by the Assistant Director of Media Relations at the HCSF, Mr Mohammed Manga.

The statement read: “The attention of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has been drawn to several media reports that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has approved the reinstatement into the Federal Civil Service of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina and his subsequent posting to the Ministry of Interior.

“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) wishes to inform the public that the reinstatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

“Consequently, the purported reinstatement and posting by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading.”

This statement counters Dambazau’s own which had earlier denied responsibility for Maina’s recall.

In a statement by his Press Secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, Dambazau blamed Maina’s recall on the office of the HCSF and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

The statement explained that Maina “was posted a few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service in an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.”

He said the HCSF and FCSC are responsible for “issues relating to discipline, employment, re-engagement, posting, promotion and retirements of federal civil servants.”

The denial by HCSF comes amid calls by prominent Nigerians, including the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, who asked the Presidency to order Maina’s arrest.

The reactions seemed to have prompted President Muhammadu Buhari to order the immediate dismissal of the former Task Force chairman from the Federal Civil Service.

President Buhari, in a memo to the HCSF, also demanded a full report of the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of Interior, which he said must be submitted before the end of work on Monday.

In an interview later with Channels TV, Presidential adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina said the HCSF submitted her report to the Chief of Staff to the President on Monday evening. (Channels TV)

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