ABUJA — Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have apprehended the fleeing former Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, following a high-stakes, weeks-long intelligence and surveillance operation.
Mamman, who served as power minister between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, was arrested at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State. He had gone deep underground after being convicted in absentia by a Federal High Court earlier this month.
Following his arrest, the anti-graft agency released official mugshots showing the former cabinet member in handcuffs and holding a booking board at the commission’s headquarters.
High-Stakes Midnight Raid
Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Abuja, EFCC Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, confirmed the development, noting that Mamman was flushed out alongside two individuals accused of shielding him from justice.
”I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3:30 a.m. this morning, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman,” Olukoyede stated. “The eagle eye of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding.”
The EFCC boss added that the Kaduna property where the former minister was harbored has been locked down and is currently under investigation.
A Landmark 75-Year Sentence
The arrest comes on the heels of a monumental judgment delivered on May 7, 2026, by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court found Mamman guilty on 12 counts of money laundering, criminal diversion, and procurement fraud.
The prosecution successfully proved that Mamman, alongside several cronies, systematically siphoned over N22 billion earmarked for two of Nigeria’s critical infrastructure blueprints:
- The Zungeru Hydroelectric Power Project
- The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project
Justice Omotosho heavily condemned the diversion, describing the actions of the former minister as a “gross abuse of public trust” that crippled vital national power initiatives.
Because Mamman failed to appear for his scheduled sentencing on May 13, the court proceeded to sentence him in absentia to consecutive terms totaling 75 years imprisonment:
- 7 years imprisonment each on Counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 (with no option of a fine).
- 3 years imprisonment on Count 4 (with an option of a N10 million fine).
- 2 years imprisonment on Count 5 (with no option of a fine).
Further Legal Battles Loom
The EFCC has confirmed that processing is underway to transfer the convict directly to a Nigerian Correctional Centre to begin serving his term.
However, Mamman’s legal troubles are far from over. He is concurrently facing a separate N31 billion fraud trial alongside seven other co-defendants before Justice Maryanne Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. On May 11, 2026, Justice Anenih had also issued a bench warrant for his arrest due to his repeated absence from the proceedings.
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Olukoyede emphasized that this high-profile arrest serves as a stern warning to public officers. “This is a test of the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption, and to assure Nigerians that anyone who has dipped into government or national resources will not go unpunished,” he concluded.
