Court Jails Ex-Power Minister Saleh Mamman 75 Years for N33.8bn Fraud

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Saleh Mamman, former Minister of Power under President Muhammadu Buhari, to 75 years in prison for money laundering and fraud totalling N33.8 billion. Justice James Omotosho handed down the sentence on Wednesday after convicting Mamman on all 12 counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge sentenced Mamman to seven years each on 10 of the counts, three years on count four, and two years on count five. All sentences are to run consecutively — meaning they stack, not overlap — giving a combined total of 75 years. The court allowed a N10 million fine option only on count four.

Properties and foreign currencies forfeited

Beyond the prison term, the court ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from Mamman and four choice properties in Abuja that were traced to him. The assets are to be handed over to the state.

The EFCC first arraigned Mamman in July 2024 on charges linked to the misappropriation of funds tied to major hydro power projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects. The agency alleged that the funds were laundered through a series of transactions during his tenure as minister.

Conviction came last week — sentencing today

Mamman was found guilty on all 12 counts on May 7, 2026, with Justice Omotosho adjourning to May 13 for sentencing. His case attracted added attention this week after a separate FCT High Court judge in Maitama issued an arrest warrant for him on May 12, adding another layer of legal pressure on the former minister even before today’s sentence was handed down.

The 75-year term is one of the longest sentences handed to a former federal minister in Nigeria’s anti-corruption history. Whether Mamman will serve the full term — or seek to appeal — has not been stated at the time of this report.

Sources: TheCable, Punch, Arise News, TheWill News