Nigeria arrests former minister Saleh Mamman after corruption conviction
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has arrested former Power Minister Saleh Mamman just days after he was sentenced to 75 years in prison on corruption-related charges tied to hydroelectric power projects.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that Mamman was apprehended in the early hours of Tuesday in Kaduna State following what officials described as weeks of surveillance and intelligence operations.
According to the EFCC, the former minister had gone into hiding after being convicted earlier this month by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Mamman was found guilty on 12 counts connected to the diversion of public funds allocated to two major hydroelectricity projects intended to improve Nigeria’s struggling power infrastructure.
The court ruled that prosecutors successfully proved their case beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced the former minister in absentia after he repeatedly failed to appear in court.
His arrest is being viewed as a rare example of enforcement against a high-ranking political figure in Nigeria, where corruption cases involving senior officials often face delays or collapse before convictions are secured.
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said the agency was determined to ensure Mamman serves his full prison sentence.
“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.
During the trial, the judge stated that evidence presented by the EFCC showed Mamman and several associates diverted at least 22,000,000,000 naira intended for critical electricity infrastructure projects.
The court further found that proxy companies and collaborators were allegedly used to siphon money away from public projects, describing the actions as a major abuse of public trust.
The multiple prison terms handed to Mamman are set to run consecutively, resulting in the combined 75-year sentence.
The former minister is also facing a separate corruption case involving allegations of fraud totaling approximately 31,000,000,000 naira. Earlier this month, another court reportedly issued an arrest warrant after he failed to appear for proceedings in that case as well.
Mamman served as Nigeria’s Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
His conviction and arrest have intensified public frustration over Nigeria’s longstanding electricity crisis, particularly because he had promised major improvements in power supply while serving in office.
Despite being one of Africa’s leading oil and energy producers, Nigeria continues to struggle with unreliable electricity generation and nationwide blackouts that disrupt households, businesses, and industrial activity.
Millions of Nigerians rely on fuel-powered generators as an alternative source of electricity, but rising fuel prices have made that option increasingly expensive for many families and businesses.
The case has reignited national debate about corruption in the power sector, where billions of dollars have been invested over the years with limited improvements in energy access and infrastructure.
Analysts say the arrest could signal a tougher approach by anti-corruption authorities amid growing pressure on the government to demonstrate accountability and strengthen investor confidence.
The EFCC has recently increased investigations into public officials accused of financial crimes as part of broader anti-graft efforts in the country.
Mamman has not publicly commented following his arrest.
