In an early morning operation that brought an end to weeks of speculation and pursuit, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday swooped on the Rigasa area of Kaduna State and arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who had allegedly gone underground after his conviction in a multi-billion naira corruption case.
The arrest, carried out before sunrise on May 19, followed what anti-graft officials described as “weeks of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering” aimed at tracking the former minister, who had evaded authorities since his conviction by the Federal High Court in Abuja earlier this month.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the operation, EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, said the Commission was determined to ensure that convicted public officials face the full weight of the law, no matter how long they attempt to evade justice.
“On May 7, 2026, Justice James Omotosho found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts bordering on diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects,” Olukoyede stated.
“The court convicted him in absentia after agreeing with the Commission that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” he added.
According to the EFCC boss, Mamman disappeared shortly after the judgment, forcing investigators to launch a coordinated manhunt across multiple states.
“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices,” Olukoyede said. “It is this resolve that made us deploy intelligence to tracking and arresting the convict. We will process his transmission to the Correctional Centre accordingly.”
The former minister, who oversaw Nigeria’s power sector between 2019 and 2021 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was found guilty of diverting funds allocated for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric projects – two strategic power initiatives expected to boost electricity generation nationwide.
In a strongly worded judgment delivered earlier this month, Justice Omotosho ruled that the EFCC had successfully proved that Mamman and his associates diverted no less than N22 billion earmarked for the projects.
The court condemned the scheme as a “gross abuse of public trust,” noting that proxy companies and close associates were allegedly used to siphon public funds meant for critical infrastructure development.
The judge further held that the defence failed to produce credible evidence capable of discrediting the prosecution’s extensive financial trail and documentary exhibits.
Following the conviction, the court ordered Mamman to appear for sentencing on May 13, but he failed to show up, prompting the court to proceed in absentia.
Justice Omotosho subsequently sentenced him to seven years imprisonment each on ten counts without an option of fine, while additional terms of three years and two years were imposed on separate counts. The sentences are to run consecutively, bringing the total prison term to 75 years.
The judgment marked one of the stiffest corruption-related prison sentences handed down against a former cabinet minister in recent years.
Mamman’s legal troubles, however, do not end there.
The former minister is also standing trial before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja over another alleged N31 billion fraud case involving seven other defendants.
On May 11, Justice Maryanne Anenih issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for proceedings in the matter, intensifying pressure on law enforcement agencies to locate him.
Tuesday’s arrest has already stirred widespread public reaction, with many Nigerians describing it as a major test of the country’s anti-corruption resolve and a signal that high-profile convictions may no longer end in symbolic judgments alone.
As dusk fell over Kaduna Tuesday evening, security sources confirmed that the former minister remained in EFCC custody pending formal transfer to a correctional facility to begin serving his sentence.
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