Court Finds Ex-Power Minister Mamman Guilty in Alleged N33.8bn Fraud

#1 · May 10, 2026, 10:51 am

Quote from Yahaya_Y9 on May 10, 2026, 10:51 am

A Federal High Court has found former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, guilty in a high-profile fraud case involving approximately N33.8 billion. The case, which has been in the legal system for several years, involves the diversion of funds intended for various power projects across the country. The conviction is seen as a major win for the current administration’s anti-corruption drive and a warning to serving public officials.

The prosecution presented evidence showing that Mamman and his associates utilized a network of shell companies to siphon money from the ministry’s budget. Many of the projects for which the funds were earmarked were either completely abandoned or never even commenced. The court’s ruling highlighted the “systemic failure of oversight” that allowed such a massive amount of public money to be misappropriated without detection for years.

Mamman’s legal team has already indicated its intention to appeal the ruling, citing procedural errors and a lack of direct evidence linking the former minister to every transaction. However, the judge emphasized that as the administrative head of the ministry, Mamman bore ultimate responsibility for the management of its finances. The case has also led to calls for more stringent auditing of all ministry-level expenditures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

This conviction comes at a time when Nigeria is still struggling with persistent power shortages despite billions of dollars in investment over the last decade. Public reaction has been one of anger and frustration, with many citizens calling for the maximum sentence to be applied. The recovery of the stolen funds is now the primary focus of the EFCC, as the government seeks to reinvest the money into the very energy infrastructure that was neglected due to the fraud.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/05/07/court-finds-ex-power-minister-mamman-guilty-in-alleged-n33-8bn-fraud/https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/05/08/court-finds-ex-power-minister-mamman-guilty-in-alleged-n33-8bn-fraud/

A Federal High Court has found former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, guilty in a high-profile fraud case involving approximately N33.8 billion. The case, which has been in the legal system for several years, involves the diversion of funds intended for various power projects across the country. The conviction is seen as a major win for the current administration’s anti-corruption drive and a warning to serving public officials.

The prosecution presented evidence showing that Mamman and his associates utilized a network of shell companies to siphon money from the ministry’s budget. Many of the projects for which the funds were earmarked were either completely abandoned or never even commenced. The court’s ruling highlighted the “systemic failure of oversight” that allowed such a massive amount of public money to be misappropriated without detection for years.

Mamman’s legal team has already indicated its intention to appeal the ruling, citing procedural errors and a lack of direct evidence linking the former minister to every transaction. However, the judge emphasized that as the administrative head of the ministry, Mamman bore ultimate responsibility for the management of its finances. The case has also led to calls for more stringent auditing of all ministry-level expenditures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

This conviction comes at a time when Nigeria is still struggling with persistent power shortages despite billions of dollars in investment over the last decade. Public reaction has been one of anger and frustration, with many citizens calling for the maximum sentence to be applied. The recovery of the stolen funds is now the primary focus of the EFCC, as the government seeks to reinvest the money into the very energy infrastructure that was neglected due to the fraud.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/05/07/court-finds-ex-power-minister-mamman-guilty-in-alleged-n33-8bn-fraud/https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/05/08/court-finds-ex-power-minister-mamman-guilty-in-alleged-n33-8bn-fraud/

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Court Finds Ex-Power Minister Mamman Guilty in Alleged N33.8bn Fraud

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