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Maina is not trustworthy – Ali Ndume
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, is not hiding his disappointment with Abdulrashid Maina, the fugitive former chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Team on Pensions Reform, who has just been extradited to Nigeria from Niger Republic.
Ndume, an All Progressives Congress (APC) senator representing Borno South, is angry for obvious reason. He put his reputation at stake, standing surety for Maina to the tune of N500 million, so that the erstwhile pension boss could secure a bail with the Federal High Court, Abuja, based on ill-health.
But Maina betrayed confidence. He jumped bail and Ndume landed into trouble with the court. He was remanded in prison custody at Kuje on the order of Justice Okon Abang, who insisted he must produce the runaway accused, charged with financial fraud and money laundering.
“With the successful arrest, extradition and subsequent remand of Maina at the Kuje Correctional Centre, I will proceed to direct my legal team to begin the process of withdrawing my suretyship for Maina with immediate effect because his action has shown that he is not trustworthy,” Senator Ndume said in an interview with journalists in Abuja, with apparent relief.
Ndume expressed gratitude to the Inspector General of Police and his men for the arrest of Maina in his hideout in Niamey, Niger Republic and subsequent extradition to Nigeria on Thursday.
READ: Maina: Court orders Senator Ndume remanded in Kuje prison
He also thanked Nigerians, especially members of the National Assembly, the political class, family and friends, who he said showed concern when the court moved against him, following the disappearance of Maina.
Ndume, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, stressed that the development had established the fact that the Nigeria Police Force may not be a write off, after all.
“I commend the Nigeria Police Force for executing the bench warrant issued on Maina by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
“This has shown that the NPF is not a write off. They are professionals under the able leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,” an elated Ndume affirmed.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court, Abuja, Friday remanded Maina in prison custody.