Security agents have arrested the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, who fled Nigeria.
Maina was arrested by operatives of Niger Republic intelligence service in a collaboration with Nigerian anti-corruption agency on Monday evening.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Maina for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2billion.
Maina is facing a 12-count money laundering charge levelled against him and a firm by the EFCC.
EFCC 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 the detention of Senator Ali Ndume 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.
In his ruling, Justice Abang said he chose to grant the senator bail based on his record of good behaviour before the court, notwithstanding that the other grounds of his bail application failed.
The judge 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.
