The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has finally arrested former Minister of Power Saleh Mamman weeks after he disappeared before his conviction and sentencing over corruption charges.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede announced that the former minister was tracked down and arrested at about 3:30am in Rigasa, Kaduna State.
Mamman had earlier been convicted on all 12 counts filed against him by the EFCC and sentenced in absentia to a combined 75 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court.
Justice James Omotosho reportedly sentenced the former minister to seven years each on 10 counts, while counts four and five attracted three years and two years respectively.
The court ruled that the sentences would run consecutively without the option of a fine, except for count four, which carried an option of a N10 million fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of foreign currencies recovered from the ex-minister, alongside four high-value properties in Abuja linked to him.
Following the judgment, security agencies were directed to work with Interpol to ensure his arrest.
Speaking after the arrest, Olukoyede declared that the anti-graft agency remained determined to pursue corrupt public officials wherever they hide.
“I’m happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3.30am this morning, we arrested Mr. Saleh Mamman somewhere in Rigasa, Kaduna state,” Olukoyede told journalists at the EFCC headquarters.
“This is a test of the commitment of the federal government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption in Nigeria, and to assure Nigerians that anyone who has pilfered government national resources will not go unpunished.
“The eagle eye of the Economic and Financial Times Commission will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding.”
The EFCC boss further disclosed that Mamman was allegedly being shielded by associates who were also arrested during the operation.
“We have discovered that he was actually being protected all this while,” Olukoyede said.
“And where we effected the arrest, we arrested two other Nigerians with him inside. The owners of the property are also under investigation because it is actually a crime for you to habour or give protection to a convict.”
According to the court ruling, Mamman’s prison sentence will begin counting from the date of his arrest.
