TheCable

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, has asked his lawyers to begin the process for him to withdraw as the surety of Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT).

Ndume had stood surety for Maina who is standing trial at a federal high court in Abuja for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

Maina, however, jumped bail, went into hiding in September and subsequently left the country.

The court remanded Ndume in prison when Maina refused to appear in court.

The senator was granted bail five days after on the grounds that he has a record of “good behaviour”

Maina was later arrested in Niger Republic and extradited to Nigeria.

On Friday, the court ordered that Maina be remanded at Kuje correctional centre until the end of his trial.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja later in the day, Ndume commended the police for arresting Maina.

He said he decided to withdraw as Maina’s surety because he is not trustworthy.

“I commend the Nigeria Police Force for executing the bench warrant issued on Maina by the federal high court in Abuja,” Ndume said.

“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.

“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.”