By Vivian Okejeme
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC), Tuesday, announced that its operatives have apprehended the fleeing convicted former Minister of Power, Salah Mamman.
The Chairman of the anti graft agency, Ola Olukayode, in a press conference, said the ex power boss was arrested at 3am on Tuesday morning at Rigasa, in Kaduna State.
The Commission also revealed that the convict, who became a fugitive was arrested alongside two other persons who shielded him from the security operatives.
The prosecution agency announced that Mamman is currently in their custody and his transmission process to the Correctional Center is underway.
The EFCC also revealed that the building the fugitive was arrested in is under its investigation.
Olukayode explained that the former minister was apprehended during an early morning operation in Kaduna State.
“I am happy to announce to Nigerians that at about 3:30 am this morning, we arrested Mr Saleh Mamman somewhere in Regasa, Kaduna State.
“This is a test of the commitment of the federal government of Nigeria to the fight against corruption and assure Nigerians that anyone who has pilfered national resources will not go unpunished.
“The eagle eye of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission will always catch up with you wherever you are hiding.”
The EFCC boss confirmed that Mamman is currently in the commission’s custody and disclosed that two other persons found with him were also arrested.
“We discovered that he was actually being protected all this while.
“At the location where we effected the arrest, we apprehended two other Nigerians who were with him inside the property. The owners of the property are also under investigation because it is a crime to harbour or protect a convict.”
Recall that Justice James Omotosho of the federal high court on May, 13, sentenced Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment in absentia.
The former Power boss was prosecuted by the EfCC of a 12-counts charge over N33.8billion money laundering offences.
Handling down the sentencing, the judge ordered that the sentence shall run consecutively and not concurrently.
The court held that the absence of the ex-minister in court on a two consecutive adjourned date was a deliberate attempt to stop the wheel of justice.
