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Suspended
Director-General, of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, Nelly
Mayshak
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The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the suspended Director-General, of the
Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, Nelly Mayshak, and three others,
Yoab Youssoufou, Patricia Iyogun, and Ruth Imonikhe for a ₦2.5bn fraud.
The
Punch report continues:
PTAD
is an independent pension agency established in August 2013 to oversee the
management of pensions under the Defined Benefit Scheme for pensioners not
transiting to the defined contributory scheme.
It
will be recalled that Mayshak was last month placed on an indefinite suspension
and investigated after it was discovered that she allegedly received N50m
monthly in salary and allowances.
According
to sources at the EFCC, investigations into the alleged fraud revealed that
Mayshak allegedly misappropriated about ₦2bn that was left in the pensions’
account of the Head of the Civil Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria
Customs Service, and Nigeria Prisons Service.
She
also allegedly embezzled about ₦500m meant as the take-off grant for PTAD.
The
alleged scam, which borders on procurement fraud, was committed during her
three-year tenure.
A
detective at the anti-graft agency told our correspondent that Mayshak
allegedly awarded several fictitious contracts to her cronies at PTAD, one of
whom was her sister-in-law.
A
source at the EFCC said, “In one instance, Mayshak allegedly approved ₦25,410,000
for the supply of 121,000,000 litres of fuel in one day when in fact there was
no corresponding storage capacity, as PTAD only has a storage capacity of about
11,000 litres, which lasts for about a month.
“Mayshak
is alleged to have awarded several phony contracts to cronies and members of
staff of PTAD, through which she used to enrich herself as they only served as
fronts for her.
“Between
December 8 and 30, 2014 she awarded multiple contracts to one company,
Interactive Wide Nigeria Limited to the tune of ₦29,377,993.26. Contracts
for the supply of office materials, air conditioners, and conference materials
to the tune of ₦375, 704,287 were awarded to Belzacode, Hosley Nigeria Limited,
and Pabak Nigeria Limited.”
Investigations
revealed that one of the suspects, Yousoufou, who is the Team Leader, ICT
Department, owned Belzacode; while Imonihke, Team Leader, DG’s Office, owned
Hosley Nigeria Limited. Iyogun, who is Team Leader, Customs, Immigration,
Prisons, Pensions Department, and also a sister-in-law to Mayshak, owned Pabak
Nigeria Limited.
The
anti-graft agency, however, said the three suspects were merely fronts for the
prime suspect, Mayshak.
The
suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
The
latest arrest of Mayshak is one of many pension scams in recent times.
Last
year the EFCC declared wanted Mr. Abdulrsheed Maina, a former Chairman of the
Pension Reform Task Team, for his role in the fraudulent biometric contracts
through which he and a former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, and two others
allegedly stole over N2bn of pension funds.
The
International Police Organization has already issued a ‘Red Notice’ on Maina,
who is believed to have fled to Dubai.
Attempts
to get comments from the spokesperson for PTAD, Mrs. Theodora Amechi, were not
successful as calls made to her mobile line did not connect.
Similarly a text message sent to her phone had yet to be responded to as of 7.56pm on Tuesday night.
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