ABUJA — Abdulrasheed Maina, the disgraced former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, has made a dramatic return to the public eye, sparking a national outcry after receiving a high-profile award from a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Maina, who was convicted in 2021 for misappropriating over N2 billion in pension funds, appeared at a ceremony in Asokoro on Thursday. Adorned with a muffler identifying him as “Patron, NBA Garki branch,” he was honored with the “Rule of Law and Courage Award”.
While Maina was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2021, he reportedly regained his freedom quietly in February 2025. His first major public appearance since his release was marked not by a plea for forgiveness, but by bold allegations of government corruption and a demand for unpaid “whistleblower fees”.
During the event, Maina claimed he had facilitated the recovery of $1.3 trillion for the Nigerian government under a secret agreement that entitled him to a 5% fee—roughly $65 billion—which he asserts remains unpaid. He further called for a renewed investigation into former Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, alleging that only a fraction of Malami’s alleged illicit funds has been recovered.
NBA National Leadership Disavows “Reprehensible” Award
The national leadership of the NBA moved swiftly on Friday to distance itself from the Garki branch’s actions. NBA President Mazi Osigwe condemned the appointment of an ex-convict as a “Patron” as a mockery of the legal profession and the fight against corruption.
“The Bar fails in her duties to the society and the cause of justice when it condones, encourages, or fails to take definite actions to eliminate corruption,” Osigwe stated. Disciplinary proceedings have already been ordered against the Garki Branch Chairman, Anthony Ojo, for the unauthorized honor.
A History of Controversial Honors
This is not the first time the NBA has faced backlash for its choice of awardees. In 2018, Amnesty International (AI) fiercely criticized the Onitsha branch for planning to honor former SARS commander James Nwafor and other police officials accused of egregious human rights violations. AI described those awards as “offensive and despicable,” accusing the association of “dancing on the graves” of innocent victims.
Despite his defiant stance, Maina remains a figure of deep controversy. In 2024, a final court ruling ordered the forfeiture of all 23 of his Nigerian properties to the federal government, including a home purchased with $1.4 million in cash. His son, Faisal Maina, also remains under a 14-year jail sentence for money laundering, a conviction affirmed by the Court of Appeal in late 2022.
As Maina continues to proclaim his innocence and demand multi-billion dollar payouts, the legal community and the public at large are left questioning the circumstances of his early release and the integrity of the institutions meant to uphold the rule of law.
