Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina, the son of former Pension Reform Task Team chairman, Abdulrasheed Maina, who had reportedly been on the run for six years after jumping bail.

Faisal was reportedly tracked down and apprehended in the Karsana area of Abuja following intelligence indicating that he had secretly returned to Nigeria.

Following his arrest, the DSS handed him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further action.

Conviction Over Money Laundering

Faisal’s legal troubles began when the EFCC arraigned him on a three-count charge bordering on money laundering and conspiracy.

According to the prosecution, he operated a fictitious bank account named “Alhaji Faisal Farm 2” with United Bank for Africa (UBA), which was allegedly used to channel billions of naira in illicit funds.

After being granted bail, Faisal reportedly violated the conditions and fled the country, prompting the court to continue proceedings in his absence.

In October 2021, Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him on all three counts and sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

However, the Court of Appeal reduced his sentence to seven years in November 2022, reportedly citing the severity of the original punishment for a first-time offender.

Despite the reduction in his prison term, the arrest order against him remained in force.

Expected Return to Custody

Faisal’s arrest in Abuja is expected to pave the way for the enforcement of his outstanding prison sentence, subject to the relevant legal and custodial procedures.

His recapture marks a significant development in the long-running legal proceedings involving the Maina family, which has faced multiple corruption-related cases.

The authorities are expected to take the necessary steps to ensure compliance with the court’s judgment.