DSS arrests Faisal Maina, fugitive son of ex-pension reform task force chief

The Department of State Services (DSS) has apprehended Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, the elusive son of the former Pension Reform Task Team chairman, Abdulrasheed Maina. He has been transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to security sources, Faisal was seized in Abuja's Karsana area after secretly returning to Nigeria.

Intelligence had indicated that he had stealthily returned to the country. Faisal had been on the run since 2020, after being prosecuted by the EFCC on a three-count charge related to money laundering and conspiracy. He was alleged to have breached his bail conditions and fled the country before his trial concluded, resulting in a conviction and a 14-year prison sentence by Justice Okon Abang in 2021.

The court mandated that Faisal be arrested wherever found in Nigeria and detained in a correctional facility to serve his term. It also called for lawful steps to be taken by the Federal Government to secure his extradition if he was located outside the country. The transfer of Faisal to the EFCC is anticipated to aid in the execution of the court's decision and ensure he serves his sentence as per the law.