By Peter Omopo
Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over his conviction in connection with fraud linked to the Mambilla Power Project.
Mamman was reportedly arrested in Rigasa, Kaduna State, during an operation carried out by operatives of the anti-graft agency in the early hours of Tuesday.
The former minister had earlier been convicted by a Federal High Court in Abuja and sentenced in absentia to 75 years imprisonment over fraud allegations surrounding the execution of the Mambilla Power Project.
According to the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Mamman was apprehended around 3:30am alongside two individuals accused of aiding him in evading arrest.
Olukoyede disclosed the development while addressing journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Reports indicated that the former minister had previously sought the court’s permission to travel for medical treatment but later failed to reappear before the court, leading to his conviction in absentia.
The EFCC said the arrest marks a major step in enforcing the court judgment and ensuring accountability in high-profile corruption cases.
Mamman served as Minister of Power under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and had faced trial over alleged financial irregularities tied to the multi-billion naira Mambilla hydropower project.
The commission has yet to provide further details on the next legal steps following his arrest.
