“Produce Maina’s Son Within Nine Days Or Go To Prison” – Court Tells Nigerian Lawmaker

A Federal High Court in Abuja has warned that a House of Representatives member representing Kaura Namoda Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, Sani Dangaladima, risks facing jail time if he fails to produce Faisal Abdulrasheed, son of Abdulrasheed Maina, the former chairperson of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team.

Faisal, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a three-count of money laundering and false declaration of assets, was admitted to bail on November 26, 2019, in the sum of N60m with one surety in like sum.

The judge, Justice Okon Abang had ruled that the surety must be a Nigerian and a serving member of the House of Representatives from any of the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Dangaladima had stood as surety for Faisal who is believed to have jumped bail after being absent in court on multiple occasions following his release in December 2019.

During a hearing on Wednesday, November 25, 2020, Justice Abang ordered Dangaladima to produce by December 4.

The judge gave the ultimatum to the lawmaker saying he is at risk of being jailed if he is unable to produce the defendant or show cause on why he should not forfeit the N60 million he pledged when he declared himself Faisal’s surety.

This is coming just three days after the court ordered that Senator Ali Ndume be remanded in Kuje prison over his inability to produce Maina who he stood surety for.