Judge Criticizes Maina for Delaying ₦738.6 Million Fraud Case

On February 20, 2026, Justice Abubakar Kutigi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Asokoro, Abuja, reprimanded former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, and his defense counsel for stalling the trial related to charges of corruption and fraud amounting to ₦738,612,019.99. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Maina alongside Ann Igw and Olachi on nine counts involving the receipt of stolen funds.

The trial, which has faced multiple delays since Maina's arraignment in 2019, was again postponed after Maina's new counsel, Emmanuel Wuyi, requested additional time to study the case. Justice Kutigi expressed frustration over the repeated adjournments, emphasizing the need for a fair hearing.

The court granted the oral application to withdraw a stay of proceedings and adjourned the matter until February 26, 2026, allowing the defense time to prepare for the trial within a trial.