The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, days after a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced him to 75 years imprisonment over a ₦33.8 billion fraud involving the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, confirmed on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, that Mamman was arrested in Kaduna during an early morning operation after weeks of evading authorities.
Mamman, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2021, was convicted in absentia on Tuesday, May 13, 2026, after the court found him guilty on all 12 counts of money laundering and diversion of public funds filed against him by the anti-graft agency.
READ ALSO: Court Jails Ex-Power Minister Mamman For 75 Years Over ₦33.8bn Fraud
Justice James Omotosho held that the EFCC established beyond reasonable doubt that the former minister illegally diverted funds meant for critical power projects through proxies, private firms and Bureau de Change operators.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of assets and funds linked to the fraud, while directing security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest the former minister and ensure enforcement of the sentence.
The EFCC had arraigned Mamman in July 2024 over alleged diversion of funds earmarked for the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects, considered key components of Nigeria’s electricity expansion plan.
His arrest marks a major development in one of the country’s most high-profile corruption cases in the power sector in recent years.