Maina plotting to assassinate me, EFCC lawyer tells court

Mohammed Abubakar, a lawyer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says Abdulrasheed Maina, former chairman of Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), has perfected plans to assassinate him.

While Maina has asked the court to further vary the bail conditions granted to him in the money laundering charges filed by the commission, the EFCC is asking the court to revoke the bail granted on November 26, 2019.

In a motion of notice signed by Abubakar, he said: “the 1st defendant/respondent who was granted bail by the court since 26th November 2019 (though still in custody) has perfected plans to assassinate prosecution witnesses and counsel in this matter.

‘That the 1st defendant/respondent perfected plans to escape from custody and abscond; and in the process assassinate Nigerian Correctional Service officials attached to him,” he said.

Abubakar said there was “need to protect the witnesses, counsel and officers by keeping the 1st defendant/respondent in custody during the pendency of this criminal matter as well as provide additional/ maximum security around him while in custody pending conclusion of trial.

“That when the 1st defendant/respondent was arrested preparatory to his arraignment before this court, his son who was with him was found to be in illegal possession of a firearm and the son, Faisal, physically attacked the security officers arresting his father to resist the arrest or free his father.

“That consequent to the above, Faisal Maina is currently being prosecuted by the Nigeria Police for the offences stated in ground (d) above.”

Maina is standing trial on 12 counts bordering on alleged money laundering. Although he has been granted bail, the former PRTT chairman says no senator is willing to stand as a surety for him in fulfillment of the conditions of bail.

Okon Abang, the judge in his ruling, said he would take the defendant’s application for further variation of the bail conditions together with the application seeking to revoke the bail since they were related to the liberty of Maina, who is still in detention.

He adjourned until March 16 to take the arguments of the parties in the suit.