ABUJA — Former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, has officially commenced his 75-year prison sentence following his dramatic arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and a subsequent appearance before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The high-profile politician was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in the Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday after Justice James Omotosho ordered that his long-term custodial sentence take immediate effect, marking a major milestone in the country's anti-corruption campaign.
The courtroom scene on Tuesday was filled with tension as the former minister, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was brought in by anti-graft agents. Mamman's return to the judicial spotlight follows his conviction for orchestrating the systemic diversion of public funds totaling approximately N33.8 billion—monies that were originally earmarked for critical national power infrastructure projects during his tenure at the helm of the Ministry of Power.
During the high-stakes proceedings, Justice Omotosho addressed the convicted former minister directly, clearing up any ambiguity regarding the timeline of his punishment. The judge firmly dismissed any attempts to delay the implementation of the court's earlier decision, emphasizing that accountability for the multibillion-naira fraud would begin without further delay.
"The sentence starts to run from today," Justice Omotosho declared from the bench. "You were in Abuja when the judgment was passed. You were in Abuja when the sentence was passed. You left alone in a taxi for Kaduna. I have done my work. I just have to inform you because today is the commencement of your sentence."
The judge's remarks shed light on a bizarre sequence of events following the initial conviction. The court heard testimony from a man identified as Shamsudeen Mohammed, who introduced himself as a relative of the former minister. Mohammed revealed that shortly after the heavy prison sentence was handed down, Mamman left the federal capital under unusual circumstances, fleeing to Kaduna State via a commercial vehicle.
Mohammed testified that he had been assisting the ex-minister with health-related matters during his stay in the North-West state. He explained that Mamman had been brought by a taxi from Abuja to Kaduna and was hiding out in a residential area. The relative further noted that the former minister had been using traditional medicine to treat an undisclosed illness while staying in a rented apartment within the Rigasa neighborhood of Kaduna, though Mohammed claimed he had no knowledge regarding the identity of the property's actual landlord.
When given the opportunity to speak, Mamman attempted to justify his evasion of the judicial process, explaining to the court that his absence from previous proceedings was not an act of deliberate defiance. Instead, the former minister claimed he was battling severe, debilitating health challenges that impacted his mobility and judgment during the critical post-conviction period.
Beyond the activation of the 75-year jail term, Tuesday's session featured a major push by the federal government to seize vast real estate assets allegedly acquired by the politician using the proceeds of the N33.8 billion fraud. The EFCC presented a fresh application seeking the final forfeiture of several multi-million naira properties linked to the convict.
The new legal offensive, formally dated May 25, 2026, was presented before Justice Omotosho by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo. The anti-graft agency’s document lists an array of luxury properties scattered across choice areas of Abuja and Kaduna, which investigators believe were acquired during Mamman’s time in office.
Among the prime assets targeted for forfeiture are the Walijam Apartments, a luxury residential block located at Plot 435 Lobito Crescent in the upscale Wuse 2 district of Abuja. The commission is also seeking control of Bloom Luxury Suites Nigeria Limited, situated at No. 5 Amana Crescent in the highbrow Unguwan Rimi neighborhood of Kaduna State. Other properties listed in the application include two sprawling mansions at Nos. 11 and 13 Misratah Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, alongside the commercial edifice known as A.U.A Plaza, located on Plot 734 Kade Street, also in Wuse 2, Abuja.
The proceedings took an unexpected turn due to the complete absence of Mamman's lead defense counsel, Femi Atteh. Reports indicated that despite being formally notified about the EFCC's asset forfeiture application, Atteh failed to appear in court to defend his client.
The situation devolved into procedural drama when another lawyer, believed to be acting on behalf of the former minister, reportedly refused to accept the official court processes relating to the asset seizure from the prosecution team. According to court observers, the unidentified attorney walked out of the courtroom entirely without notifying the judge or the EFCC lawyers.
When questioned by Justice Omotosho about his legal team's chaotic behavior, Mamman cut a solitary figure in the dock. He admitted to the court that he had been completely out of touch with his lawyers since his dramatic arrest by EFCC operatives on May 19, 2026, which ended his brief period of evasion.
Faced with a potential breach of procedural fair hearing, Justice Omotosho opted for a cautious approach regarding the property seizures. The judge ruled that despite the gravity of Mamman's financial crimes, the convict must be afforded ample opportunity to defend his ownership of the targeted real estate assets.
"For the forfeiture of additional properties, the court will give adjournment for hearing on it to enable the convict to defend himself," Justice Omotosho ruled.
To ensure strict compliance with constitutional provisions, the court ordered that all relevant legal documents concerning the fresh forfeiture application be personally served to Mamman within the correctional facility. This measure is intended to allow the former minister to secure proper legal representation of his choice before the asset battle resumes. The case was subsequently adjourned until June 8, 2026, for a formal hearing on the forfeiture request.
