The hunt for former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, ended in the early hours of Tuesday after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested him in Kano following weeks of surveillance linked to his conviction over a multi-billion naira fraud case.
Chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed during a media briefing that Mamman was apprehended around 3:30 a.m. after intelligence officers tracked his movements across different locations.
According to Olukoyede, the former minister had been standing trial since January 2025 over allegations that more than ₦33 billion meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects was diverted during his time in office.
He explained that the Federal High Court in Abuja recently found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts filed against him by the commission. However, sentencing was initially delayed because the former Minister failed to appear before the court.
The EFCC boss said Mamman was eventually sentenced in absentia on May 13 after repeated absences, which the court interpreted as an attempt to obstruct justice.
Olukoyede added that two other individuals were arrested alongside the former minister for allegedly helping him evade arrest after his conviction.
“We discovered he had been shielded for some time,” the EFCC Chairman stated, adding that investigators would also examine the property where Mamman was found.
He described the arrest as proof of the Federal Government’s determination to sustain the fight against corruption and ensure that public officials accused of mismanaging public funds are brought to justice.
“It is to assure Nigerians that anyone who has taken government or national resources will not go unpunished, and the eagle eye of the EFCC will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding,” Olukoyede said.
Earlier this month, Justice James Omotosho convicted Mamman over money laundering offences involving ₦33.8 billion tied to the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects.
The court imposed a combined 75-year prison sentence after finding him guilty on all 12 charges brought against him by the EFCC. Justice Omotosho ruled that the sentences would run consecutively.
The judge also maintained that Mamman deliberately stayed away from court proceedings in a bid to frustrate the judicial process.
As part of the judgment, the former Minister received seven-year jail terms on most of the counts without the option of a fine. He was also handed a three-year sentence on one count with an option of a ₦10 million fine, while another count attracted a two-year prison term without a fine option.
The Court further directed security agencies to collaborate with Interpol and other law enforcement bodies to ensure his arrest and enforcement of the judgment.