Saleh Mamman had gone underground after being convicted for corruption, the African states anti-graft agency has said

Nigerian anti-graft authorities have arrested former Power Minister Saleh Mamman, days after he was sentenced in absentia to 75 years in prison for fraud and money laundering linked to major state-backed electricity projects.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)saidMamman was arrested early Tuesday in the Rigasa area of Kaduna State after "weeks of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering."

"For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices," EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede told reporters, adding that Mamman would be transferred to the correctional authorities.

Mamman was found guilty on May 7 on all 12 counts related to the diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects meant to boost Nigeria's chronically unreliable electricity supply, with planned capacities of 3,050MW and 700MW, respectively.

The Federal High Court in Abuja held that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22 billion naira (about $16 million) from funds allocated to the projects. Mamman was absent from court during the ruling, prompting Judge James Omotosho to order national and international security agencies to arrest him and hand him over to the authorities. The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the former minister's Abuja properties and foreign currencies recovered from him. The EFCC said the former minister went "underground" after he was sentenced.

Mamman served as minister of power between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari. His arrest follows a separate bench warrant issued by the court over another alleged 31 billion naira fraud case involving him and seven others, according to the West African nation's anti-graft agency.

Mamman's case adds to a series of high-profile corruption proceedings involving Nigerian officials. Former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq has been declared wanted by the EFCC over allegations that she failed to account for 746.7 million naira, about $543,000, paid to contractors.

Former Accountant-General Ahmed Idris is also facing trial over an alleged 109 billion naira fraud, while former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke is on trial in London on bribery charges linked to her tenure from 2010 to 2015.

(RT.com)