The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who was recently convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court in Abuja over financial misappropriation linked to the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, confirmed during a press briefing on Tuesday that the former minister was apprehended at about 3:30 a.m. in Kano after weeks of surveillance and intelligence operations.
According to Olukoyede, the anti-graft agency had in January 2025 filed charges against Mamman for allegedly diverting more than ₦33 billion earmarked for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
He explained that after about 14 to 15 months of trial proceedings, the commission secured convictions on all 12 counts against the former minister on May 7. However, sentencing was delayed because Mamman failed to appear in court. He was eventually sentenced in absentia on May 13.
Olukoyede said the EFCC subsequently intensified efforts to track him down, leading to his arrest in Kano in the early hours of Tuesday.
The EFCC chairman also disclosed that two other persons were arrested alongside the former minister for allegedly shielding and protecting him from arrest after his conviction.
He stated that the commission would investigate the residence where Mamman was found, adding that preliminary findings suggested he had been deliberately hidden from law enforcement authorities.
Describing the arrest as a major breakthrough, Olukoyede said it demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to fighting corruption and ensuring accountability in the management of public funds.
He warned that individuals who loot public resources would eventually face justice, stressing that the EFCC would continue to pursue convicted persons regardless of where they attempt to hide.
Earlier this month, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, sentenced Mamman to a cumulative 75 years imprisonment after convicting him on all 12 counts of money laundering and corruption charges brought against him by the EFCC.
The offences were linked to the alleged diversion of ₦33.8 billion meant for the execution of the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects during his tenure as minister.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the former minister’s repeated absence from court during the sentencing phase amounted to a deliberate attempt to frustrate the administration of justice.
The court sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on Counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 without the option of a fine.
He was also sentenced to three years imprisonment on Count 4 with an option of a ₦10 million fine, while Count 5 attracted a two-year prison term without the option of a fine.
The judge ordered that all the sentences run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
Justice Omotosho further directed all security agencies to work with Interpol to ensure the former minister’s arrest and enforcement of the court judgment.
