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EFCC Arrests Fleeing Ex-Power Minister, Saleh Mamman In Kaduna
EFCC Arrests Fleeing Ex-Power Minister, Saleh Mamman In Kaduna
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a fleeing former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in Rigasa area of Kaduna State.
Mamman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, 2026 following weeks of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering by operatives of the Commission.
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Addressing journalists on the arrest, Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that the former minister went underground after he was convicted by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on corruption charges.
“On May 7, 2026, Justice James Omotosho found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts bordering on diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects. The court convicted him in absentia after agreeing with the Commission that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.
“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices. It is this resolve that made us deploy intelligence to tracking and arresting the convict. We will process his transmission to the Correctional Centre accordingly”, he said.
Justice Omotosho had, in his judgment, held that the EFCC successfully established that Mamman and his associates diverted not less than N22 billion meant for the execution of critical power projects. The court further held that the defence failed to present credible evidence capable of discrediting the prosecution’s case.
The judge condemned the diversion of public funds earmarked for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric projects, describing the act as a gross abuse of public trust. He also noted that the convict deployed proxy companies and associates to siphon and benefit from funds meant for critical national infrastructure.
Mamman, who served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, supervised Nigeria’s power sector and major hydroelectric projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects.
Following his conviction, the court ordered that he be arrested and produced before it on May 13, 2026, for sentencing. However, the convict failed to appear in court on the scheduled date, prompting the court to proceed with sentencing in his absence.
EFCC
Justice Omotosho subsequently sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on Counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 without an option of fine. He was also sentenced to three years imprisonment on Count 4 with an option of N10 million fine and two years imprisonment on Count 5 without an option of fine.
The court further ordered that the sentences run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.
Apart from the conviction, Mamman is also facing another corruption trial before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, over alleged N31 billion fraud.
On May 11, 2026, Justice Maryanne Anenih issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his failure to appear for proceedings in the matter involving him and seven others.
Saleh Mamman Forfeits More Properties To Federal Government
Justice James Omotosho of Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, July 2, 2026 ordered the forfeiture of five properties, belonging to a former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, who is serving 75 years jail term for corruption.
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Forfeited permanently among them is Walijam Apartments, located on No. 43 Plot 435, Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja, while those forfeited on interim basis are: Bloom Luxury Suites Nigeria Limited, located on No. 5 Amana Crescent, New Estate, Unguwan Rimi, Kaduna State; a mansion on No. 11 Misratah Street, Wuse 2, Abuja; another at No. 13 Misratah Street, Wuse 2, Abuja and A.U.A Plaza on Plot 734 Kade Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
In ruling on the final forfeiture application, Justice Omotosho held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was able to establish that the convict acquired Walijam Apartments with proceeds of unlawful activities.
On the other hand, he ordered the Commission to publish an order of interim forfeiture in a national newspaper within seven days, for interested parties to appear before the court and show cause as to why the other four properties should not be finally forfeited to the federal government.
Saleh Mamman
The EFCC prosecuted Mamman before Justice James Omotosho on an amended 12-count charge of corruption and money laundering to the tune of N33. 8 billion. The judge convicted him on all the counts on May 7, 2026 and sentenced him to 75 years imprisonment on May 13, 2026.
While ill-gotten assets were recovered from him in the course of the trial, the judge further ordered him to refund the N22 billion the Commission successfully traced to him.
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Court Remands Couple For N10m Alleged Land Fraud In Port Harcourt
Justice S.I. Mark of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the remand of Julie Akue Onwuegbu and her husband, Wisdom Onwuegbu in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre for land fraud.
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The couple was arraigned on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 by the Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a three-count charge bordering on advance fee fraud and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N10 million.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Julie Akue Owuegbu and Wisdom Onwuegbu between 11th April, 2024 and 15th April, 2024 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira, only) from one Mr. Taofik Bello under the pretence of transferring and holding yourself as the rightful owner of a plot of land, situated at Queen Park Estate, (Royal Park Estate), Ohia Eli-Mini, Eneka in, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, the pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) (b) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty,” following which prosecution counsel, I. Igwu asked the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, while the defence counsel, Igwe Okoronkwo, informed the court of a pending bail application of the defendants before the court and urged the court to admit them to bail to enable them prepare adequately for their defence.
Justice Mark ordered the remand of the couple in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre and adjourned till July 10, 2026 for ruling on their bail application.
The couple’s journey to the Correctional centre began with a petition on November, 2024, in which the petitioner alleged that one Enitan Joseph, sometime in April, 2024, introduced him to the first defendant, Julie Onwuegbu, with a claim that she had a piece of land to sell in Queens Park Estate, Eneka, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. With the price agreed on N10 million, payments were made to the defendant in two instalments of N1million and N9 million, respectively into her Eco Bank and First Bank accounts.
Court
The petitioner further alleged that the defendant provided him with a signed Deed of Conveyance as an authority for him to have access to the property but that his attempt to develop the land was stopped by someone who claimed ownership of it. Further in his petition, he alleged that the first defendant could not do anything to resolve the matter and that when further enquiries were made on the land, it was discovered that the first defendant did not own any land in the estate.
Investigation further revealed that the first defendant transferred part of the proceeds of her alleged crime to her husband’s company account. And that all efforts by the petitioner to either recover the land or his money proved abortive.
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High Court Fixes July 10 For Judgment On Malami’s 57 Properties Forfeiture Suit
A Federal High Court in Abuja has set July 10, 2026 as new date for judgment in the suit filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking the final forfeiture of 57 properties linked to Abubakar Malami, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
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The presiding judge, Joyce Abdulmalik had earlier fixed Monday, July 6, 2026 for judgment after both parties adopted their final processes and argued the case on May 26. However, the judge moved her judgment to Friday, July 10, 2026
The EFCC previously secured an interim forfeiture order for the assets, valued at over N212 billion. The properties are located in Abuja, Kano, Kebbi, and Kaduna. The EFCC had argued that the properties were proceeds of official corruption and abuse of office.
Malami’s legal team challenged the move, asserting that the assets were legitimately acquired by the former minister who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
At the last hearing, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, counsel to the EFCC prayed the court to grant the application, relying on a 47-paragraph affidavit and 46 exhibits filed in support of the motion.
Okutepa argued that Malami and the other respondents in the matter failed to satisfactorily explain the legitimate sources of the assets and urged the court to order their permanent forfeiture.
Abubakar Malami
In response, Adedayo Adedeji, SAN, counsel to Malami and other respondents, asked the court to dismiss the application and set aside the interim forfeiture order earlier granted.
Adedeji relied on a counter-affidavit deposed to by Malami, arguing that the EFCC’s case was founded on suspicion rather than credible evidence.
Justice Abdulmalik fixed July 10, 2026 for judgment in the matter.
Eereporter.com
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