Ex-Pension Task Force Chairman Abdulrasheed Maina collapses, hospitalised – Aide reveals

Former Chairman of the now-defunct Pension Reform Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina, slumped on Tuesday while attempting to access his office and is currently receiving medical care in a private hospital in Abuja, his media assistant, Emmanuel Ekwe, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.

Ekwe explained that the incident was caused by complications from an untreated knee injury, which led Maina to lose his balance and fall, hitting his head on a staircase.

“Dr Abdulrasheed Maina slumped on the evening of Tuesday, February 3, 2026, while attempting to access his office premises. The incident followed complications from an untreated knee injury, which caused him to lose balance and fall, resulting in his head hitting the staircase,” Ekwe said.

Medical personnel on site promptly administered first aid before rushing Maina to a private hospital for urgent attention. Doctors are reportedly monitoring his condition closely.

“Following a preliminary medical assessment, one of the attending doctors advised that arrangements for an air ambulance medical evacuation be considered should his condition fail to stabilise within a short period. His family appeals to the public for prayers, understanding, and respect for their privacy at this critical time,” the statement added.

Maina is a widely known figure due to his controversial tenure as head of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms and the subsequent high-profile corruption case linked to pension funds.

In November 2021, a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him on money-laundering charges involving N2.1 billion and sentenced him to eight years in prison. He challenged the verdict, but in May 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld his conviction and the forfeiture of assets tied to the case.

Despite the sentence, Maina was released from Kuje Correctional Centre on February 25, 2025, following statutory remission for good conduct, with his sentence effectively counted from his initial arrest in October 2019.

Since his release, Maina has maintained a low public profile, but his activities remain of interest due to the scale and impact of the pension scandal.