The Nigeria Police Force has extradited the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Maina, from Niamey, Niger Republic.
Jomog News Nigeria reports that, the embattled Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina has been extradited to Nigeria to face his ongoing money laundering trial.
The fugitive was apprehended in the Nigerien capital on Monday, by the operatives of the NPF, International Criminal Police Organisation National Central Bureau, Abuja, in collaboration with their Nigerien counterparts.
He was received on Thursday by men of the Nigeria Police Force at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The aircraft carrying the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team landed at the airport at 2.15 pm.
He was brought to Abuja where he was being held at a police facility.
He will be interrogated before handing over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Nigerian Correctional Service for remand in Kuje Custodial facility.
The former director in the ministry of interior, who is being prosecuted on 12 counts of money laundering to the tune of N2 billion by the EFCC, had jumped bail forcing the trial judge, Justice Abang Okon to issue an arrest warrant against him.
He was said to have stopped attending his trial since September 29, 2020, prompting Justice Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to order the remand of his surety, Senator Ali Ndume penultimate Monday.
The court, however, granted bail to the Borno South Senator, last Friday.
Speaking with journalists at the airport, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Interpol said Maina was brought back to Nigeria on the directive of the IGP, Mohammed Adamu.
Maina is standing trial for alleged money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.
Following Maina’s extradition, the Nigeria Police Force has released a statement explaining how he was arrested and returned to Nigeria.
See the full statement of the Nigeria Police Force below…
ABDUL RASHEED MAINA EXTRADITED TO NIGERIA
The Nigeria Police Force has extradited Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), today, 3rd December 2020, to Nigeria from Niamey, Niger Republic, where he was arrested having been declared wanted by a court of competent jurisdiction over a pending criminal trial against him.
Recall that Abdulrashid Maina was arrested on 30th November 2020 through the collaborative efforts of the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL NCB, Abuja and their Nigerien counterpart. The team from INTERPOL Nigeria, led by the Commissioner of Police INTERPOL, CP Garba Umar, having completed the necessary documentation requirements and other extradition processes, flew the wanted former Pension Boss, Maina into Nigeria aboard an NPF Jet 5N-HAR and landed at exactly 1417Hrs (Nigerian Time).
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni while applauding the trans-national/inter-agency collaborations that led to the successful arrest and extradition of the wanted fugitive, assures that necessary legal actions will follow immediately.
DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA
