Former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman has been sentenced to 75 years in prison by a Federal High Court in Abuja over fraud and money laundering involving N33.8 billion.
The funds were meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric projects, two of Nigeria’s most critical infrastructure schemes. Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment today on 12 counts of financial crimes after a prosecution led by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Mamman, who served as minister from 2019 to 2021 under then-President Muhammadu Buhari, was absent from the courtroom during sentencing. He is now officially on the run, and the court has ordered his arrest.
His sentences will begin once he is apprehended. The court also ordered the forfeiture of all assets traced to the proceeds of the crime.
The EFCC case detailed how Mamman and others diverted billions of naira intended for two major hydroelectric projects that were supposed to ease Nigeria’s chronic power crisis.
The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State and the Zungeru Hydro Power Project in Niger State have been in development for years, with massive budgets approved and funds released.
Instead of reaching contractors and project sites, chunks of the money ended up in private accounts and shell companies linked to the former minister.
Justice Omotosho found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts, which included criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of office. The judge described the offenses as a betrayal of public trust and a direct attack on Nigeria’s development. He noted that the power sector, already plagued by decades of underperformance, had been further crippled by the actions of those entrusted to fix it.
The prosecution presented evidence showing suspicious transactions, inflated contracts, and payments to companies that existed only on paper.
Witnesses testified that project timelines were repeatedly delayed while funds meant for equipment and construction were siphoned off.
Bank records, email trails, and internal ministry documents all pointed to systematic looting overseen by Mamman during his tenure.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Mamman stopped attending court hearings months ago. His lawyers claimed he was unavailable due to health issues, but the court rejected further delays and proceeded with the trial in his absence.
Sources close to the case say he may have fled the country, though his current whereabouts remain unknown. Security agencies have been instructed to track him down and produce him before the court.
Interestingly, just weeks before his sentencing, Mamman purchased the All Progressives Congress governorship nomination forms for Taraba State, signaling his intention to run in the 2027 elections.
That ambition has now been crushed by the court ruling. His conviction also raises questions about how he was allowed to participate in party processes while facing such serious charges.
The case is one of the most high-profile convictions in Nigeria’s power sector, an industry notorious for corruption and mismanagement.
Billions of dollars have been poured into the sector over the years with little to show for it. Blackouts remain a daily reality for homes and businesses across the country.
The Mambilla project alone has been in the pipeline since the 1970s, with multiple governments promising completion but delivering delays and scandals instead.
Reactions to the sentencing have been mixed. Some Nigerians applaud the EFCC and the judiciary for holding a former minister accountable. They see it as a rare moment of justice in a system often accused of shielding the powerful.
Others are more cynical, pointing out that Mamman’s conviction comes only after he left office and fell out of favor. They question whether other officials involved in similar schemes will ever face trial.
Civil society groups have called for broader investigations into all contracts awarded under Mamman’s watch.
They argue that he could not have acted alone and that a full accounting is needed to recover stolen funds and prosecute accomplices. The EFCC has indicated that more arrests may follow as the investigation continues….See More
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