Operatives of intelligence service in a collaboration with men of the anti-corruption agency in Nigeria yesterday evening, arrested the former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), AbdulRasheed Maina, in a town in Niger Republic.
According to reports, a top Intelligence Officer said that the arrest was made possible due to an existing mutual relationship and security agreement between the two neighbouring countries.
Maina is facing a 12-count money laundering charge levelled against him and a firm by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which alleged that Maina, as Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, used the account of the firm for money laundering to the tune of about N2 billion, part of which he used to acquire landed properties in Abuja.
He however, has not been attending trial since the September 29, 2020 proceedings, a development that prompted Justice Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court, to order Senator Ali Ndume’s remand last Monday. But the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday granted bail to the Borno South Senator, over his suretyship for Maina, believed to have jumped bail.
Justice Abang, in a ruling, granted bail to the senator pending the hearing and determination of Ndume’s appeal filed at the Court of Appeal to challenge Monday’s order sending him to jail for his inability to produce the fleeing Maina.
