Faisal Maina, son of former Pension Reform Task Team chairman Abdulrasheed Maina, has reportedly been arrested after six years on the run over money laundering charges.
According to a report by TheCable, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), also known as the State Security Service (SSS), arrested Faisal and transferred him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
A source quoted in the report said security operatives acted on intelligence indicating that Faisal had secretly returned to Nigeria.
The source disclosed that officers tracked him to the Karsana area of Abuja, where they reportedly apprehended him before handing him over to the EFCC.
However, the DSS and EFCC had not officially confirmed the reported arrest as of the time Premium Times published its report on October 16, 2026.
Why Faisal Maina Was Wanted
Faisal had been on the run since 2020 after the EFCC arraigned him on three counts bordering on money laundering.
He was granted bail during the proceedings but reportedly violated the conditions and fled the country.
Despite his absence, the Federal High Court in Abuja continued his trial, which resulted in his conviction in October 2021.
The court sentenced him to 14 years in prison after finding him guilty of the money laundering charges.
Court Linked Faisal to N58.1 Million Transaction
In delivering the judgment, Justice Okong Abang held that the EFCC had established its case against Faisal.
The court found that he operated a fictitious United Bank for Africa (UBA) account allegedly used by his father to launder N58.1 million.
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According to the prosecution’s case as outlined in the judgment, the money was deposited into an account bearing the name “Alhaji Faisal Farm 2”.
The funds were subsequently withdrawn by Faisal and his father between October 2013 and June 2019, the report stated.
Appeal Court Reduced Faisal’s Prison Sentence
In November 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld Faisal’s conviction but reduced his prison sentence from 14 years to seven years.
The appellate court ruled that the trial judge should not have imposed the maximum sentence on a first-time offender.
The decision reduced his sentence but did not overturn the conviction.
Abdulrasheed Maina’s Pension Fraud Conviction
Faisal’s case is linked to the wider legal troubles of his father, Abdulrasheed Maina, who previously headed the now-defunct Pension Reform Task Team.
Abdulrasheed Maina served an eight-year prison sentence at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja following his conviction for laundering N2 billion in pension funds.
He was released earlier in 2026, according to the Premium Times report. However, the report also stated that he had subsequently been declared wanted in connection with an alleged case of receiving stolen property.
Faisal’s reported arrest could mark a significant development in the long-running legal proceedings involving the Maina family.
Further details are expected if the DSS or EFCC issues an official statement confirming the circumstances of the arrest and the next steps in the case.
