ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the permanent forfeiture of a luxury apartment block linked to former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, alongside the interim forfeiture of four other multi-billion Naira properties.
Justice James Omotosho granted the orders in favor of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), ruling that the properties were acquired using proceeds from a massive N22 billion fraud scheme.
The ruling comes weeks after Mamman’s conviction on May 7, where he was sentenced to a cumulative 75-year prison term for money laundering involving funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Projects.
Breakdown of the Forfeited Properties
The court divided the targeted real estate assets into two categories:
Permanent Forfeiture: Walijam Apartments, a luxury complex located on Lobito Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja. The court ruled it was conclusively established as proceeds of unlawful activities.
Interim Forfeiture: Four additional high-value properties, including:
Bloom Luxury Suites Nigeria Limited in Kaduna State.
Two mansions situated on Misratah Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
A.U.A Plaza located on Kade Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Justice Omotosho noted that while the EFCC has not yet conclusively proven ownership of the latter four properties, sufficient grounds exist to freeze them. The commission has been ordered to publish the interim forfeiture notice in a national newspaper within seven days, allowing any interested third parties to claim or challenge the ownership before a final forfeiture order is made.
Legal Objections Overruled
During the proceedings, counsel to the former minister argued that the court lacked the jurisdiction to issue asset forfeitures after already delivering its final judgment in the criminal case.
Justice Omotosho flatly rejected the defense, citing Section 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). The judge clarified that the law explicitly empowers the court to make restitution and asset forfeiture orders even after a conviction has been secured.
Only N2 Billion Recovered From N22 Billion Loot
The EFCC informed the court that the additional property seizures are critical to bridging a massive recovery deficit. According to the anti-graft agency, Mamman diverted N22 billion out of a total N33.8 billion involved in the case.
Despite multiple previous forfeiture orders, less than N2 billion of the stolen public funds has been recovered so far.
"The former minister enriched himself while millions of Nigerians continued to face poor electricity supply," Justice Omotosho remarked, describing the diversion of funds meant for critical national electricity infrastructure as a grave abuse of public trust.
Next Steps for the Convicted Minister
Following weeks of post-conviction surveillance, EFCC operatives successfully arrested Mamman and transferred him to a correctional facility to begin serving his prison term.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede affirmed that the commission is entirely committed to ensuring the former public official serves his sentence. Mamman's legal troubles are far from over, as he is concurrently facing a separate criminal trial over a separate, alleged N31 billion fraud.
