As Mamman Bags 75-Year-Jail Term: Four Buhari Ministers Battle In Court Over Alleged Frauds

…Ex-Power Minister, Mamman, Bags 75-Year-Jail Term Over N33.8bn Diversion

…Malami, Ngige, Sirika, Sylva Face Charges

No fewer than five ministers who served during the administration of late Muhammadu Buhari are facing trial or under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) scrutiny, THE WHISTLER can report.

Also, EFCC has intensified its prosecution of the affected former ministers who served under the late Buhari, with at least five high-profile ex-cabinet members facing corruption, fraud and money laundering allegations in different courts across the country.

The development followed public scrutiny of the management of public funds during the Buhari administration between 2015 and 2023.

As a candidate for the Presidency, Buhari had taken a tough stance against corruption.

He was noted to have said, “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.”

However, as a president, however, it was believed that corruption continued to thrive, with many key officials including ministers involved in high profile corruption allegations.

One of the affected former ministers, has been convicted and sentenced to a 75-year- imprisonment.

The former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, was sentenced to a cumulative 75 years imprisonment over the diversion of N33.8bn linked to major power projects.

THE WHISTLER reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Mamman on 12 counts bordering on money laundering and diversion of public funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects.

The court found that billions of naira earmarked for the projects were illegally diverted through proxies and shell companies during his tenure as power minister.

The former minister received consecutive prison terms, seven years on most counts, alongside additional three-year and two-year sentences on others, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.

The court also ordered the embattled ex- minister to refund N22bn to the Federal Government.

Mamman was reportedly absent when the judgment was delivered.

Also, former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, is facing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika, and son-in-law, Jalal Sule.

The EFCC accused them of abuse of office and fraudulent contract awards amounting to about N2.7bn.

According to the charges, Sirika allegedly used his office to award contracts connected to the Katsina Airport project and consultancy services for the Nigerian Air Force initiative to companies allegedly linked to members of his family.

The defendants pleaded not guilty when arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja in 2024 and were granted bail.

The matter was adjourned until December 2025 for the continuation of the trial.

Similarly, Senator Chris Ngige, who served as the Minister of Labour and Employment, was arraigned in December 2025 on allegations of abuse of office, contract fraud and unlawful gratification.

The EFCC alleged that Ngige received gifts and financial benefits worth N2.26bn from contractors linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), during his time in office between 2015 and 2023.

Prosecutors accused him of influencing contract processes and receiving illegal benefits from companies that secured government jobs under agencies supervised by his ministry.

Ngige pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge and was remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is also under investigation over alleged money laundering and suspicious financial transactions.

The EFCC reportedly detained Malami and initiated plans to arraign him and his son on a 16-count charge involving alleged illicit financial dealings, including questionable investments said to be worth over N10bn in Kebbi State.

Investigators are also probing transactions connected to recovered Abacha loot amounting to about ₦346.2m.

However, as of May 2026, formal proceedings against the former AGF were still ongoing.

In another major development, the EFCC declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, wanted over an alleged $14.8 million fraud.

The anti-graft agency accused Sylva of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds belonging to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

According to investigators, the money was allegedly diverted for the development of the Atlantic International Refinery project.

EFCC said efforts to secure the former minister’s appearance failed before declaring him wanted in November 2025.

A former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, is alleged to have diverted huge sums of government funds for private use.

Apart from ministers, other top government officials in the Buhari regime are also battling cases of corruption.

These include former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.