Fugitive Maina arrested in Niger Republic

Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has been picked up by authorities in Niger Republic, The PUNCH is reporting.

Maina was reported to have been arrested on Monday evening.

The newspaper said the arrest was possible because of a mutual relationship between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.

Maina is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

However, the former PRTT chairman jumped bail which prompted Okon Abang, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja, to order the arrest of Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south.

Ndume had stood surety for Maina so that he could be granted bail.

After about four days in custody, the court granted the legislator bail on Friday.

Abang had said although other grounds of Ndume’s bail application failed, the senator has a record of “good behaviour”.

The judge asked the Borno lawmaker to produce a surety who must be a resident of the federal capital territory (FCT) and has property in the territory.

Abang said the surety must also depose an affidavit of their readiness to face the consequences if the senator absconds.