ATTAH ANTHONY writes on the travails of a former Minister of Power, Engr Saleh Mamman, who was sent to prison for corruption days after he paid N50m to vie for the position of governor of Taraba state in 2027 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
For many Nigerians, especially those who endured years of unstable electricity supply during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the name Engr. Saleh Mamman remains closely associated with the country’s troubled power sector.
Engr. Mamman, a former Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021, is an indigene of Taraba state, who once occupied one of the most strategic portfolios in the federal cabinet.
Today, however, the same man who once supervised critical national power projects and assets has become one of the most high-profile casualties of Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, following his conviction for the alleged diversion of funds intended for key hydroelectric projects.
His journey from federal power broker to convicted public official has not only shaken political circles in Taraba State but also reignited public debate about corruption, accountability, and leadership in Nigeria.
It is against this backdrop that the Federal High Court in Abuja recently convicted the former minister on 12 counts of charges, bordering on money laundering and fraud involving N33.8 billion earmarked for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, who delivered the judgment, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully proved its case against Mamman beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court subsequently sentenced him to 75 years’ imprisonment.
The judge ruled that the former minister, along with associates and proxy companies, diverted public funds intended for critical power infrastructure into private accounts and businesses.
According to Justice Omotosho, during the proceedings, he said, “the sheer greed of the defendant and his comrades in crime is nothing but a downright shameful thing.
“For a defendant who held a critical position such as the Ministry of Power, rather than being concerned with creating a legacy of solving the epileptic power supply in the country, the defendant began siphoning and converting monies for serious projects into private pockets.”
The judgment marked the climax of a lengthy trial that began in July 2024 after the EFCC arraigned Mamman on allegations of conspiracy and money laundering.
During the trial, the anti-graft agency called 17 witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits to establish how billions of naira allocated for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects were allegedly diverted through multiple private companies and bureau de change operators.
One of the prosecution witnesses, Abdullahi Suleman, revealed that a bureau de change operator told the court how over N22 billion allegedly passed through 12 company accounts without any project execution.
According to him, the funds were converted into foreign currencies and transferred in accordance with instructions allegedly linked to the former minister and his associates.
Another witness, retired Colonel Adebisi Adesanya, owner of Sami Court Resort Limited, testified that Mamman allegedly spent N20 million from project funds on luxury accommodation.
According to the documents tendered before the court, the payments were made in instalments, through different companies over a one-year period.
Although some defence witnesses argued that Mamman’s name did not appear directly in certain company account documents, the court held that the evidence presented by the prosecution sufficiently established his involvement in the transactions.
The court further ordered the forfeiture of properties and funds linked to the fraud and directed security agencies, including Interpol, to arrest the former Minister wherever he is found.
