A former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has been sentenced to 75 years’ imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja over a ₦33.8 billion money laundering scandal involving funds earmarked for the Mambilla and Zungeru hydroelectric power projects.
Justice James Omotosho handed down the sentence on May 13, 2026, after finding Mamman guilty on all 12 counts of conspiracy and money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court ordered that the prison terms run consecutively, bringing the total sentence to 75 years.
Mamman received seven years’ imprisonment on each of 10 counts, three years on another count, and two years on the remaining count. Only one of the counts carried an option of a ₦10 million fine.
The former minister was convicted and sentenced in absentia after failing to appear in court for the delivery of the judgment. The judge subsequently ordered security agencies to work with Interpol to track him down.
The EFCC alleged that Mamman conspired with ministry officials and private companies to divert public funds meant for critical hydroelectric power projects.
He was subsequently arrested by EFCC operatives in May 2026 following a manhunt and was taken into custody.
Mamman served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, in September 2026, the former minister approached the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn his conviction. His lawyers argued, among other things, that his right to a fair hearing was violated because judgment was delivered without proper notice to him.
