Court Orders Forfeiture of Properties Linked to Convicted Former Power Minister

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a ruling leading to the permanent forfeiture of one property and the interim forfeiture of four others connected to the former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman.

The former minister is currently serving a 75-year prison sentence following his conviction for corruption and money laundering.

Presiding Judge James Omotosho granted the order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which successfully demonstrated that the assets were acquired through proceeds of unlawful activities.

The property permanently forfeited to the Federal Government is the Walijam Apartments, situated in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja.

Regarding the remaining four assets, the court has directed the EFCC to publish an interim forfeiture order in a national newspaper within seven days. This measure allows any interested parties to appear before the court and provide reasons why these assets which include luxury suites in Kaduna and multiple properties in Abuja should not also be permanently surrendered to the government.

This development follows the former minister’s conviction on May 7, 2026, regarding a 12-count charge involving ₦33.8 billion. In addition to his custodial sentence, the court had previously ordered Mamman to refund ₦22 billion identified by anti-graft investigators as part of the proceeds of his criminal activities. The current forfeiture orders are part of the ongoing recovery of assets linked to the case.