DSS Arrests Maina’s Fugitive Son in Abuja, Hands Him Over to EFCC
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, the fugitive son of former Pension Reform Task Team chairman Abdulrasheed Maina, and handed him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Faisal was arrested in the Karsana area of Abuja after security operatives reportedly received intelligence indicating that he had secretly returned to Nigeria after several years on the run.
The arrest, reported on Saturday, October 17, 2026, follows Faisal’s disappearance in 2020 after he was arraigned by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering and conspiracy.
Security sources said DSS operatives tracked him down before transferring him to the anti-graft agency for further action.
How Faisal Maina Became a Fugitive
Faisal had been facing prosecution over allegations linked to financial transactions involving an account operated in the name of Alhaji Faisal Farm 2.
The EFCC alleged that the account, maintained with United Bank for Africa (UBA), was used in transactions involving approximately ₦58.1 million allegedly connected to his father.
According to court proceedings, the funds were deposited into the account and subsequently withdrawn by Faisal and his father between October 2013 and June 2019.
After being granted bail, Faisal reportedly breached his bail conditions and left the country. His trial subsequently continued in his absence.
Court Convicted Faisal, Reduced His Sentence to Seven Years
In October 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Faisal on money laundering charges and sentenced him to 14 years’ imprisonment.
The trial was presided over by Justice Okong Abang, who held that the prosecution had established its case against him.
However, in November 2022, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction but reduced the prison sentence from 14 years to seven years. The appellate court ruled that the maximum sentence imposed by the trial court was inappropriate for a first-time offender.
The conviction remained in place following the appeal.
EFCC Takes Over After DSS Arrest
Faisal’s transfer to the EFCC is expected to facilitate the enforcement of the existing court judgment and the next steps required under the law.
His arrest brings renewed attention to the prosecution involving the Maina family, which became one of Nigeria’s prominent pension-fund corruption cases.
Abdulrasheed Maina, Faisal’s father, previously served as chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team. He was separately convicted in a case involving the laundering of pension funds and served a prison sentence before his release.
The circumstances surrounding Faisal’s reported return to Nigeria and the period he spent in the country before his arrest have not been fully disclosed.
As of the latest reports, no detailed public statement from the DSS or EFCC outlining the next procedural steps had been reported.
Faisal’s arrest marks a significant development in the long-running case, particularly as authorities move to address the outstanding consequences of his conviction.
