Former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman has been arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged N22 billion fraud.
Mamman, who was minister under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2021, was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday and is being detained at the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja, sources revealed.
The arrest is connected to investigations into alleged corruption in the execution of some power projects.
Mamman is accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert N22 billion and share among themselves.
The investigations uncovered properties in Nigeria and overseas allegedly linked to the suspects, while millions of naira and dollars have reportedly been recovered.
SaharaReporters had reported in September 2021 that Mamman was relieved of his ministerial job by President Buhari.
Mamman was said to have been living at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja for more than three weeks on the bills of some powerful interests in the power sector, who were hoping he would still be in the office to be able to award lucrative contracts to them.
“He has been living permanently at Transcorp Hilton since early August. His bills were being covered by elements in the power sector who were looking forward to more lucrative contracts before the bad news of his dismissal struck yesterday,” the source was quoted to have added.
