The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, (AYCF), has in strong terms condemned the detention of Senator Ali Ndume, calling it unfair.
A Federal High Court had on Monday ordered that Ndume be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre for failing to produce the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Task Team, AbdulRasheed Maina
Ndume, who represents Borno-South at the National Assembly, stood as surety for Maina who is standing trial on alleged money laundering charges. However, Maina has repeatedly failed to appear in court for the continuation of his trial which led to the revocation of his bail by Justice Okon Abang.
However, in a statement signed by its National President, Yerima Shettima, AYCF wondered why the same court has not ordered the detention of Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who stood as surety for Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), who is also on the run.
Picture caption: AYCF National President, Yerima Shettima
According to the Forum, Maina committed offence or not, we believe it amounts to setting bad example if Senator Abaribe who stood surety for terrorist Nnamdi Kanu is still walking the streets as a free man.
We cannot fathom why Senator Abaribe, who secured bail for IPOBs Kanu whose action has since been declared treasonable and terror to the country (and still on the run) has never ever been sanctioned for standing surety.
Both Ndume and Abaribe are senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore Abaribe cannot be said to be higher in status than Ndume. Both are lawmakers by the grace of our national constitution and the votes of their constituents.
Most importantly, we have a duty as a country to demonstrate that in this country, no one citizen is above the other. Significantly, Ndumes case is such that Maina is still a suspect being tried by the law and no sentence has yet been handed down by any court of competent jurisdiction. Still, this cannot be said of Nnamdi Kanu and his treason case.
In the interest of equity, fairness and balance, Senator Abaribe should be immediately arrested and remanded in prison too, until IPOBs Kanu is turned it or he turns himself in, it stated.
