Dare Babalola
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who had been declared wanted following his conviction and disappearance from the court process.
Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that Mamman was apprehended at about 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State.
According to the commission, the former minister had been at large since he was convicted on May 7 on 12 counts of money laundering and related offences brought against him by the EFCC. He was subsequently sentenced in absentia to 75 years imprisonment.
Delivering judgment, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had imposed seven years’ imprisonment on 10 of the counts, while additional sentences of three years and two years were handed down on two other counts. The court ordered that all sentences should run consecutively, with no option of fine except on one count, which carried a ₦10 million alternative penalty.
The court also directed the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from Mamman, alongside four high-value properties in Abuja traced to him. It further ordered security agencies to work with Interpol to ensure his arrest, stating that his sentence would commence from the date of his eventual apprehension.
Confirming the development at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, Olukoyede said the operation leading to Mamman’s arrest was carried out early Tuesday morning.
“I’m pleased to inform Nigerians that at about 3:30 a.m. today, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman in Rigasa, Kaduna State,” he said.
He described the arrest as a demonstration of the government’s resolve to pursue corruption cases to their conclusion, adding that no one who has stolen public funds would be allowed to escape justice.
“This is a clear message that anyone who has diverted public resources will not go unpunished. The EFCC will continue to pursue offenders wherever they are,” he added.
Olukoyede further revealed that the ex-minister was allegedly being sheltered prior to his arrest, noting that two other individuals were taken into custody at the location where he was found.
According to him, those who provided shelter to the convicted former minister are also under investigation, stressing that harbouring a convict remains a criminal offence under Nigerian law.
