The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released the mugshots of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, following his arrest by operatives of the anti-graft agency over alleged financial crimes linked to billions of naira meant for power projects.
Mamman, who was recently convicted by a Federal High Court in Abuja, was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday after what the commission described as weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering.
Photos released by the EFCC showed the former minister in handcuffs while holding a booking board shortly after he was taken into custody.
The former minister is currently being detained by the commission pending further legal proceedings and possible additional investigations.
Speaking during a press conference at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, Chairman of the commission, Ola Olukoyede, confirmed the arrest and said Mamman was apprehended in Kaduna State alongside two other persons accused of helping him evade arrest.
According to Olukoyede, the building where the former minister was arrested is also being investigated by the commission.
“I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3:30 a.m. this morning, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman,” the EFCC chairman said.
He explained that the arrest followed an extensive operation by the commission aimed at tracking down the former minister after his conviction by the court.
Last week, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Mamman to 75 years imprisonment in absentia after finding him guilty on 12 counts bordering on money laundering, conspiracy and fraud involving N33.8 billion.
The court ruled that the funds were illegally diverted from accounts linked to major electricity projects handled by the Ministry of Power during Mamman’s time in office.
The projects involved include the Mambilla Hydropower Project and the Zungeru Hydropower Project, two major electricity projects expected to improve Nigeria’s power generation capacity.
The Mambilla project, located in Taraba State, has for many years been presented as one of Nigeria’s biggest hopes for improving electricity supply. The project is expected to generate more than 3,000 megawatts of electricity when completed.
Similarly, the Zungeru Hydropower Project in Niger State was designed to boost the national grid and reduce the country’s dependence on expensive power generation sources.
However, both projects have faced repeated delays over the years due to funding challenges, legal disputes and allegations of corruption.
The case against Mamman is one of the most high-profile corruption cases involving a former cabinet member under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mamman served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 before he was removed from office during a cabinet reshuffle carried out by Buhari.
The EFCC had earlier accused the former minister of laundering public funds through multiple private accounts and companies.
Investigators alleged that billions of naira meant for power projects were diverted for personal use and moved through several bank accounts to conceal the source of the money.
The anti-graft agency also accused him of violating financial regulations and abusing his office while serving as minister.
The Federal High Court later found him guilty after reviewing evidence presented by prosecutors, including bank records, financial transactions and testimonies from witnesses.
His sentencing in absentia came after he reportedly failed to appear before the court during part of the proceedings.
Under Nigerian law, a court can proceed with a case in absentia under certain circumstances, especially where a defendant is believed to be avoiding trial.
Following the conviction, security agencies intensified efforts to locate and arrest the former minister.
Olukoyede described the arrest as a major step in the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war and said it demonstrated that public officials who misuse government resources would eventually face justice.
“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 dipped into government or national resources will not go unpunished,” he said.
“The eagle eye of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding,” he added.
The EFCC chairman also assured Nigerians that the commission would continue to pursue corruption cases involving both government officials and private citizens.
According to him, the agency remains determined to investigate financial crimes in all sectors of the economy.
“We are working. There is no area that we will not go into. We will not leave any area untouched just to ensure that we fulfil our mandate,” Olukoyede stated.
“We will uphold our mandate and ensure that everyone, whether private or public, will be investigated and brought to court,” he added.
The arrest has already generated reactions across the country, with many Nigerians describing it as another important test of the government’s promise to tackle corruption.
For years, corruption has remained one of Nigeria’s biggest challenges, especially in sectors such as power, oil and infrastructure where huge government funds are often involved.
Despite repeated promises by successive administrations, many large-scale public projects have either been abandoned or delayed because of allegations of fraud and mismanagement.
The power sector in particular has remained under heavy public scrutiny due to the country’s long-running electricity crisis.
Nigeria continues to struggle with unstable power supply despite billions of naira spent on electricity generation, transmission and distribution projects over the years.
Many businesses and households still rely heavily on generators because of frequent blackouts and poor electricity supply from the national grid.
The EFCC has in recent years increased investigations into former public officials accused of diverting public funds.
The commission says recovering stolen funds and prosecuting corrupt officials remain key parts of its mandate.
Although several former governors, ministers and senior government officials have faced trial over corruption allegations, critics have often questioned the slow pace of prosecutions and convictions in some cases.
However, the conviction and arrest of a former minister is likely to strengthen public confidence in ongoing anti-corruption efforts.
Meanwhile, investigations into the property where he was arrested and the alleged involvement of the two other suspects are expected to continue in the coming days.