N22bn Fraud: EFCC Arrests, Detains Ex-Power Minister, Sale Mamman

•Anti-graft agency arrests internet fraudster over $268,000 following petition from US

•As court dismisses Anambra Govt suit challenging EFCC’s powers to probe its finances

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

A former Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, was yesterday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Competent sources told THISDAY that the former minister was taken into custody at the headquarters of the commission following his arrest in the early hours of yesterday, May 10, 2023.

The arrest is said to be in connection with the commission’s ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in the execution of some power projects.

Specifically, Mamman is alleged to have conspired with staff of the Ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects and diverted N22 billion, which they shared amongst themselves.

THISDAY gathered that the investigations also uncovered properties in Nigeria and overseas linked to the suspects while millions of naira and United States dollars were recovered.

In a related development, operatives of the Benin Zonal Command of the commission arrested Precious Ojo, aka Obago, a suspected internet fraudster in Oghara, Delta State.

The 26 year-old was arrested following a petition received from a United States citizen on his fraudulent activities.

The petitioner had alleged that the suspect impersonated one Raymond Bush, who works in the US Treasury to defraud her of $268,000.00.

The suspect was arrested at his hotel in Oghara. He confessed to building the luxury hotel with his alleged proceeds of crime.

Other items recovered from him include a Mercedes-Benz car with personalised plate number and  mobile phones.

An EFCC statement said the suspect would be arraigned in court soon.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday dismissed a suit filed by the Anambra State government challenging  EFCC’s power to investigate its finances, describing it as factually and forensically lacking in merit.

A statement signed by Spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the State government had approached the court presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba to determine whether under the federal system of government, with the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers, “the appropriation, disbursement and or administration of funds belonging to a state government is subject to investigation by the EFCC being an agency of the federal government”. In a suit number FHC/ AWK/ CS/ 22/ 2022 filed by Government of Anambra State ( 1st Plaintiff) and Attorney- General of Anambra State( 2nd Plaintiff) against the EFCC( 1st Defendant) and Attorney – General of the Federation( 2nd Defendant), the Plaintiffs sought resolutions of the following eight questions:  Whether under the federal system of government established by Section 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and the doctrine of separation of powers established and provided by Sections 4, 5 and 6 thereof, the appropriation, disbursement and or administration of funds belonging to the government of a state is subject to investigation by the 1st Defendant as an agency of the Federal Government;

Whether the power of the 1st Defendant, as an agency of the federal government, is not restricted to the matters set out in the Exclusive Legislative List contained in Part I of the Second Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended); whether the appropriation, disbursement and or administration of funds belonging to the government of a state are not matters within the concurrent Legislative List contained in Part II of the Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.