The FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Monday issued a warrant for the arrest of convicted former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over his absence from proceedings in a ₦31 billion fraud trial involving him and six others.
Mamman’s absence from court on Monday forced the judge, Maryanne Anenih, to postpone proceedings until Thursday.
This is the second warrant of arrest issued against Mamman in days, since May 7 when another court, the Federal High Court in Abuja, convicted him of ₦33.8 billion fraud in a separate corruption trial.
Mamman was unceremoniously removed by then-President Muhammadu Buhari after his about two-year stint in office, from August 2019 to September 2021.
Trial judge, Maryann Anenih, ordered Mamman’s arrest on Monday after the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, requested an order for his arrest and the continuation of the trial despite his absence.
“Application granted to proceed without the first defendant and application for bench warrant granted,” the judge ruled.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged Mamman alongside seven others on nine counts of conspiracy, false pretence and intent to defraud to the tune of ₦31 billion.
His co-defendants are Mustapha Abubakar Bida, Joseph Omotayo Adewunmi, Ben Nsikak, Stephen Ojo, Oladipo Adebowale, Michael Achua and Ogunjobi Olusila.
On October 16, 2025, the EFCC arraigned the defendants before the court, where they all denied the allegations.
All the defendants, except Mamman, were in court on Monday.
This is the second corruption case involving the former power minister. Both cases, one of which ended in Mamman’s conviction last week, centre on the diversion of billions of naira meant for power projects.
On May 7, the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him of ₦33.8 billion fraud.
His absence from court prompted trial judge James Omotosho to order the former minister’s arrest and postpone his sentencing until May 13.
Mamman’s defence team tried to explain his absence from court on grounds of ill health. But the excuse did not sway the prosecution and the judge, who ordered the former minister’s arrest and directed that he must be produced in court on May 13 for sentencing.
On Monday, prosecution lawyer, Oyedepo, informed FCT High Court judge Anenih that the pending arrest warrant issued by the Federal High Court’s Justice Omotosho last week had yet to be executed.
The judge asked Mamman’s lawyer, Femi Atteh, SAN, to explain to the court why his client was absent.
However, Atteh said, “I do not know where he is. The DPPF told us at the Federal High Court that our client is now the state’s property,” following the order of his arrest by the court last week.
Atteh noted that the DPPF had a duty to produce Mamman.
Responding, Oyedepo maintained that he had never abdicated his duty as an officer of the court, adding, “A defendant without reasonable justification absconded from trial, so the client is still very much in his custody.”
But Atteh disagreed with the accusation of hiding Mamman. Oyedepo then said, “The warrant issued by the Federal High Court has yet to be executed as the defendant is still in hiding.”
After ruling on his arrest, the judge adjourned until May 14 for continuation of the trial.
The charges relate to alleged diversion of funds meant for the Mambilla Power Project. The EFCC alleged that over ₦26 billion was diverted under Mamman’s instruction using Bureau de Change operators. The EFCC alleged in the case that the defendants diverted about ₦31 billion in public funds.
In March, the court rejected an application to halt the ₦31 billion corruption trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, and his co-defendants.
The application was filed by the second defendant, Mustapha Bida.
The EFCC has presented two witnesses so far in the trial before the FCT High Court. Both witnesses are bank officials.
Umar Abba, the first prosecution witness, is a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank.
The EFCC, through Abba, presented documents of account opening packages, signatory mandates, statements of accounts for transactions on various accounts and certificates of identification of Spinhills Biz International Limited, Silverline Ocean Ventures Limited, Beaver Builders Limited, Gurupche Business Enterprise, Breathable Investment Limited, First-class Construction Project Limited, Royal Perimeter Ventures, Dannywest Limited, Dorino Bright Limited and Sipikin Global Ventures Limited.
However, he said he did not know the defendants personally.
Similarly, the second prosecution witness, Leadu Kpandei, also a compliance officer with Guaranty Trust Bank, presented Fullest Utility Concept Ltd account opening documents, certificate of identification and statement of accounts of the company.
Mamman served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former minister recently declared interest in the 2027 Taraba State governorship race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Federal High Court in Abuja convicted him last week on 12 amended money laundering charges involving the diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects.
The EFCC arraigned him in July 2024, kick-starting the trial.
The commission accused him of conspiring with ministry officials and private companies to divert ₦33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects.
Mamman, the sole defendant in the case, pleaded not guilty.
