Former Nigerian power minister Saleh Mamman has been arrested days after being sentenced to 75 years in prison over corruption linked to major hydroelectric power projects, the country\u2019s anti-graft agency announced.<\/p>\n
Nigeria\u2019s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was detained early Tuesday in Kaduna state following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance operations.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the former minister had gone into hiding after a court in Abuja convicted him earlier this month on multiple corruption charges involving the diversion of public funds allocated to electricity projects.<\/p>\n
The court found Mamman guilty on 12 counts after ruling that prosecutors had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear for the delivery of judgment.<\/p>\n
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said the arrest demonstrated the agency\u2019s commitment to enforcing anti-corruption laws and ensuring convicted officials serve their sentences.<\/p>\n
According to court findings, Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22 billion naira, equivalent to about 14 million dollars, intended for two major hydroelectric power projects.<\/p>\n
The court said prosecutors presented evidence showing that proxy companies and associates were used to siphon state funds.<\/p>\n
The prison terms for the various charges are expected to run consecutively, resulting in a combined sentence of 75 years.<\/p>\n
Mamman is also facing a separate corruption trial in Abuja involving allegations over another 31 billion naira in public funds. Earlier this month, a separate court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in that case.<\/p>\n
He served as Nigeria\u2019s minister of power between 2019 and 2021 under former president Muhammadu Buhari.<\/p>\n
The case has reignited public frustration over Nigeria\u2019s persistent electricity crisis. Despite being one of Africa\u2019s largest energy producers, the country continues to face chronic power shortages, leaving homes and businesses heavily dependent on expensive fuel-powered generators.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Nigerian power minister Saleh Mamman has been arrested days after being sentenced to 75 years in prison over corruption linked to major hydroelectric power projects, the country\u2019s anti-graft agency announced. Nigeria\u2019s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was detained early Tuesday in Kaduna state following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance operations.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,54],"tags":[415,1114,3174,728,3178,3170,3173,3177,3176,3171,1661,3175,3172,3169],"class_list":{"0":"post-15443","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-general-news","7":"category-social","8":"tag-abuja","9":"tag-africa-news","10":"tag-anti-corruption","11":"tag-corruption","12":"tag-economic-crimes","13":"tag-efcc","14":"tag-electricity-crisis","15":"tag-hydroelectric-projects","16":"tag-kaduna","17":"tag-muhammadu-buhari","18":"tag-nigeria","19":"tag-nigerian-politics","20":"tag-power-ministry","21":"tag-saleh-mamman"},"yoast_head":"\n