Nigeria ex-minister on the run arrested after jail sentence

Former Nigerian power minister Saleh Mamman has been arrested a week after he was sentenced to 75 years in prison for corruption, the country’s anti-graft agency said.

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was detained early Tuesday in Kaduna state following weeks of surveillance and intelligence operations.

According to the agency, the former minister went into hiding after a court in Abuja convicted him earlier this month on corruption-related charges linked to two hydroelectric power projects.

The court found him guilty on 12 counts involving the diversion of public funds and ruled that prosecutors had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear for the judgment.

EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said authorities were determined to ensure Mamman served his sentence, describing the case as part of broader efforts to crack down on corruption.

During the trial, the judge said evidence presented by prosecutors showed that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22 billion naira ($14 million) earmarked for major electricity projects. The court also said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon funds.

The prison terms attached to the different charges are to run consecutively, bringing the total sentence to 75 years.

Mamman is also facing a separate corruption case in Abuja over allegations involving 31 billion naira. Earlier this month, another court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in that trial.

He served as Nigeria’s power minister from 2019 to 2021 under former president Muhammadu Buhari.

The case has renewed public anger over Nigeria’s long-running electricity crisis. Despite being one of Africa’s largest energy producers, the country continues to suffer from frequent power outages, forcing many households and businesses to rely on costly fuel generators.