The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, weeks after he was convicted and sentenced in absentia to 75 years imprisonment over corruption charges.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed on Tuesday that the former minister was apprehended at about 3:30 a.m. in Rigasa area of Kaduna State after allegedly going into hiding following his conviction.
Olukoyede, who spoke to journalists at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, described the arrest as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s resolve to pursue corruption cases to a logical conclusion irrespective of the status of those involved.
“I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3.30am this morning, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman somewhere in Rigasa, Kaduna State,” he said.
“This is a test of the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption in Nigeria, and to assure Nigerians that anyone who has pilfered government resources will not go unpunished.”
According to the EFCC chairman, investigations revealed that the ex-minister had been shielded by some individuals while evading arrest.
“We have discovered that he was actually being protected all this while,” Olukoyede stated.
“And where we effected the arrest, we arrested two other Nigerians with him inside. The owners of the property are also under investigation because it is actually a crime for you to harbour or give protection to a convict.”
On May 7, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Mamman on all 12 counts filed against him by the EFCC bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds.
The court sentenced the former minister to seven years imprisonment on 10 counts, while he received three years and two years respectively on counts four and five. The sentences are to run consecutively without an option of fine except for count four, which carries a N10 million fine option.
Justice Omotosho also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the former minister as well as four high-value properties in Abuja traced to him.
The court further directed security agencies to collaborate with Interpol to ensure his arrest after he failed to appear for sentencing.
Mamman served as Minister of Power under former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2019 and 2021 before leaving office following a cabinet reshuffle. He was prosecuted by the EFCC over allegations linked to the misappropriation of funds meant for the Mambilla Hydropower Project.
The Cable
