Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has arrested former power minister Saleh Mamman days after he was sentenced in absentia to 75 years in prison over a multi-billion naira money laundering case, officials said Tuesday.
The arrest marks a rare high-profile enforcement action in Africa’s largest economy, where convictions of senior public officials are infrequent and prosecutions often drag on for years.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman Ola Olukoyede said Mamman had been apprehended in the northern city of Kaduna after allegedly going into hiding following his conviction earlier this month.
“He was arrested in the middle of the night and is now in custody,” Olukoyede said.
According to the EFCC chief, Mamman had been shielded by associates while evading authorities. Two additional suspects were arrested for allegedly harbouring the former minister, while investigators have launched a probe into the property where he was found.
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Mamman, who served as Nigeria’s minister of power under former president Muhammadu Buhari, was convicted on May 7 on 12 counts linked to corruption and money laundering involving 33.8 billion naira (about $24.65 million).
The Federal High Court found him guilty of diverting public funds tied to two government-backed hydroelectric power projects.
Under the sentence handed down by the court, Mamman received seven years imprisonment on each of 10 counts, along with three years and two years respectively on two additional charges. The sentences are to run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
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The former minister had failed to appear in court at the time of sentencing, prompting speculation that he had fled or gone underground to avoid arrest.
Nigeria has long struggled with entrenched corruption despite repeated pledges by successive governments to strengthen accountability and recover stolen public funds.
The EFCC, established in 2003, has prosecuted dozens of politicians, bankers and public officials, but convictions involving senior government figures remain relatively uncommon. Critics have frequently accused authorities of selective enforcement and political interference in anti-graft investigations.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has repeatedly vowed to tackle corruption and improve governance as the country grapples with severe economic pressures, including high inflation, currency weakness and widespread poverty.
The case against Mamman centred on allegations that funds allocated for strategic energy infrastructure projects were siphoned through fraudulent transactions and shell arrangements.
Nigeria has for decades faced chronic electricity shortages despite abundant energy resources and repeated government investments in the power sector. Poor electricity generation and transmission continue to hamper economic growth and industrial activity, forcing millions of households and businesses to rely on costly fuel generators.
Analysts say corruption within the sector has contributed significantly to stalled projects, inadequate infrastructure and persistent blackouts.
The arrest of a former cabinet minister following conviction could signal a tougher stance by authorities, though observers say sustained institutional reforms will be necessary to rebuild public confidence in anti-corruption efforts.
Civil society groups have often called for faster prosecution of graft cases and stricter enforcement of court rulings, arguing that lengthy legal delays undermine deterrence.
Olukoyede said the EFCC remained committed to ensuring that those convicted of corruption offences are brought to justice regardless of their status or political connections.
Authorities did not immediately indicate when Mamman would next appear before the court or whether he planned to challenge his conviction and sentence.
The EFCC has in recent years intensified efforts to trace stolen assets and pursue financial crimes involving public officials, amid mounting domestic pressure for greater transparency in public spending.
For many Nigerians, however, the effectiveness of the anti-corruption campaign will likely be judged not only by arrests and convictions, but by whether recovered funds are transparently managed and public services u
