Abdulrasheed maina latest news

Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Nigerian civil servant, has been in the news recently due to his alleged involvement in a massive pension scam. Here are some of the latest news updates about him:

  1. Arrest and Extradition: Maina was arrested in July 2020 in the United States and extradited to Nigeria to face trial for his alleged role in the pension scam. He was arrested in a luxury hotel in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.
  2. Pension Scam: Maina is accused of embezzling billions of naira from the National Pension Commission (PenCom) during his tenure as the head of the commission's pension department. The scam allegedly involved the diversion of pension funds to personal accounts and the creation of fake pension accounts.
  3. Trial: Maina's trial began in October 2020 at the Federal High Court in Abuja. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which include money laundering, corruption, and criminal breach of trust.
  4. Witness Testimony: In November 2020, a former employee of PenCom testified in court that Maina had instructed him to create fake pension accounts and transfer funds to them. The witness also alleged that Maina had given him a car and a house as a bribe to keep quiet about the scam.
  5. Maina's Family: Maina's family has been involved in the controversy, with his son, Faisal Maina, also facing trial for his alleged role in the scam. Faisal was arrested in August 2020 and has been charged with money laundering and corruption.
  6. International Cooperation: The United States has been cooperating with Nigeria in the investigation and prosecution of Maina. In August 2020, the US Department of Justice announced that it had seized assets worth millions of dollars linked to Maina's alleged criminal activities.
  7. Sentencing: In December 2020, Maina was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the pension scam. He was also ordered to pay a fine of N250 million (approximately $650,000) and to forfeit his assets to the Nigerian government.

These are some of the latest news updates about Abdulrasheed Maina and the pension scam. The case is ongoing, and further developments are expected in the coming months.