Justice Catches Up: Ex-Minister Mamman Moved to Kuje Prison to Begin 75‑Year Sentence.
A fresh chapter opened in one of the country’s long-running corruption cases on Thursday after a federal court ordered that former Minister of Power and Steel, Alhaji Mamman, be moved to Kuje Prison without further delay. The ruling means he will now start serving a 75-year jail term handed down by an earlier judgment.
The court’s decision came after it dismissed a final motion filed by the former minister’s legal team, which had tried to stop the transfer. Presiding Judge, Justice Binta Mohammed, said in her ruling that all legal options available to the convict had been exhausted, and the time had come for him to face the consequences of his actions.
“This court finds no reason to keep the convict outside of a correctional facility any longer. He shall be taken to Kuje Prison immediately to begin his sentence,” the judge said.
Mamman, who served as a minister during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was found guilty in 2023 on a 12-count charge involving money laundering and illegal payments totaling over N2 billion. According to court documents, the money was tied to contracts awarded during his time in office between 2010 and 2012.
Following his conviction, Mamman’s lawyers had filed several appeals and requests for a stay of execution. But each attempt was either thrown out or rejected by higher courts. His final push—an application arguing health concerns—was also turned down on Wednesday after the prosecution produced a medical report indicating he was fit to be incarcerated.
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“Being a former minister does not place him above the law,” said Ibrahim Sani, a senior prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who spoke with reporters outside the courtroom. “The court has spoken, and the rule of law must take its course.”
Kuje Prison, located in the Federal Capital Territory, is one of the country’s best-known correctional centers. It has held several high-profile inmates over the years, including former governors and lawmakers awaiting trial or serving sentences. Officials at the facility have already been notified to expect the new inmate.
Reactions to the court’s order have been mixed. While some civil society groups welcomed the decision as proof that the justice system could work against powerful individuals, a few supporters of the former minister expressed disappointment. One of his family members, who asked not to be named, said they were hoping for a different outcome.
“We believed his health issues would earn him some leniency,” the relative said. “But we will respect the court’s decision.”
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Security sources confirmed that prison officials and EFCC operatives were at the court premises shortly after the ruling. By late afternoon, a white prison bus was seen leaving the area, with sources saying Mamman was inside, headed for Kuje.
For legal observers, this case sends a clear message: lengthy sentences for public officials convicted of corruption are not just words on paper—they can indeed be enforced. According to the Nigerian Prison Service, a 75-year sentence means Mamman, who is in his late 60s, will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars unless a presidential pardon or a successful appeal at the Supreme Court changes his situation.
As of the time of this report, no statement had been released by the former minister’s family or his legal team. Attempts to reach his lead counsel, Mr. Femi Falade, were unsuccessful.
But inside the courtroom, one thing was clear—what many once saw as a distant legal threat has now become a reality for Mamman. The man who once supervised the nation’s electricity and steel sectors will now begin his long stretch in a prison cell.
Justice Catches Up: Ex-Minister Mamman Moved to Kuje Prison to Begin 75‑Year Sentence.
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