EFCC accuses Maina of planning to assassinate witnesses, correctional centre officials in a bid to escape from custody

Mohammed Abubakar, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said on Wednesday the ex-Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, is planning to assassinate witnesses and officials of Nigerian Correctional Services to escape from custody.

He told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a motion on notice to seek revocation of Maina’s bail.

On why Maina’s bail should be cancelled, Abubakar argued “that the ex-pension task team chief who was granted bail by the court on November 26, 2019 (though still in custody) has perfected plans to assassinate prosecution witnesses and counsel in this matter.

He said: “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.”

Justice Abang had on January 28 varied Maina’s bail conditions, following his inability to meet the bail terms granted him in November.

Maina, who had pleaded with the court to further vary the already varied bail terms, insisted that he had been unable to get a senator to stand as surety for his release.

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Responding to his plea, Abubakar told the court that there was “need to protect the witnesses, counsel, and officers by keeping the defendant in custody during the pendency of this criminal matter and provide additional security around him while in custody pending the conclusion of the trial.”

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