Court Convicts Former Power Minister Mamman Saleh of Fraud
The Federal High Court in Abuja has convicted former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman for laundering ₦33.8 billion. Justice James Omotosho found the former official guilty on all twelve counts brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The judgment reveals a systematic looting of funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric projects. While the country struggled with a collapsing national grid, its power minister was busy moving cash through shadow exchange markets. It is a damning indictment of a man who chose personal wealth over a national legacy.
The court found that Mamman siphoned vast sums through Bureau de Change operators to hide the money in foreign currencies. In one instance, he paid $655,700 in cash for an Abuja property. This transaction bypassed every financial regulation designed to stop money laundering. The prosecution presented seventeen witnesses and dozens of exhibits to prove that the minister treated the ministry as a private bank. His defence offered almost nothing to counter these heavy facts. The evidence was too loud to ignore.
The timing of the conviction adds a sharp edge to Nigeria’s current energy crisis. Justice Omotosho noted that Mamman’s greed directly contributed to the darkness that still plagues millions of homes. Money that should have built turbines instead was spent on luxury assets at home and abroad. The judge lamented that the minister showed no interest in solving the epileptic power supply he was hired to fix. He lived large while the citizens he served sat in the dark. Public service was merely a cover for private gain.
The defendant was conspicuously absent when the hammer fell. His lawyers claimed he was sick, yet they could not provide his whereabouts. The court noted that Mamman had recently been healthy enough to buy forms for the Taraba State governorship race. This disappearance suggests he is more interested in escaping justice than serving his state. Consequently, the judge issued a warrant for his arrest to ensure he faces his sentence. He can run from the courtroom, but he cannot run from the verdict.
The EFCC’s arrest of Mamman in 2021 followed his removal from the cabinet of former President Buhari. Investigators spent years tracing ₦22 billion diverted specifically from two of the nation’s most critical dam projects. These projects were supposed to be the bedrock of Nigeria’s industrial future. Instead, they became a fountain of illicit wealth for the minister and his staff. The conviction proves that the anti-graft agency can build a case that sticks even against the highest levels of the previous administration.
Nigeria now waits for the sentencing of a man who helped keep it in the dark. The case highlights the massive gap between government promises and the reality of budget execution. It also shows the vital role of the courts in holding the executive to account when the lights go out. The EFCC must now find its man to finish what the trial began. For now, the ruling stands as a cold warning to those currently holding the keys to the treasury.