The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, following his recent conviction on corruption charges.
Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, stated that Mamman was arrested at about 3:30 am in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State. On May 7, Justice James Omotosho convicted Mamman on all 12 counts filed against him by the EFCC and sentenced him in absentia to 75 years’ imprisonment.
The court sentenced the former minister to seven years’ imprisonment on 10 counts, while counts four and five attracted sentences of three years and two years, respectively.
Justice Omotosho ruled that the sentences would run consecutively without the option of a fine, except for count four, which carries an option of a N10 million fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the former minister, as well as four properties in Abuja linked to him.
The judge directed security agencies to work with Interpol to facilitate Mamman’s arrest and ruled that the sentence would commence from the date of his arrest.
Speaking with journalists at the EFCC headquarters, Olukoyede described the arrest as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to combating corruption.
“I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman somewhere in Rigasa, Kaduna State. This is a test of the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption in Nigeria and to assure Nigerians that anyone who has pilfered government resources will not go unpunished,” he said
Olukoyede said Mamman is currently in EFCC custody and disclosed that two other individuals found with him during the operation were also arrested.
“We have discovered that he was actually being protected all this while. And where we effected the arrest, we arrested two other Nigerians with him inside. The owners of the property are also under investigation because it is actually a crime for you to harbour or give protection to a convict,” he said.
RN