Alleged N33.8bn Fraud: Former Minister Paid N200M Cash In Dollars For Abuja Property – Witness

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the trial of former Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman was on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, told of how the embattled former minister paid a dollar equivalent of N200 million in cash for the purchase of a five bedroom property situated in Wuse II, Abuja.

The Court presided over by Justice James Omotosho was told by a businessman, Mr Jidda, who was the initial owner of the property, located at No. 12a & b Lungi Street, Wuse 2, Abuja, that Mamman came to his office located on Gimbiya Street, Garki-Abuja and paid him the dollar equivalent of N200 million in cash for the property.

Jidda, who was led in evidence by the EFCC prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, said the former minister went to his office with Mohammed Hussein and two other persons and paid the him the money.

According to Jidda; “We discussed that they would bring naira, but they came with dollars. We counted the money and gave them the property. The document was signed between my company Mohibat Investment Limited and Mohammed Hussein as instructed by the minister.

“First, Bitrus told me that it was the minister that was buying the property. The minister was the one who instructed me to sign with Mohammed Hussein,” he said.

Jidda identified and confirmed his extra-judicial statement with the EFCC and the Deed of agreement when they were shown to him, following which they were tendered and admitted in evidence as PWd1 and PW d2, respectively.

The former minister of Power, Mamman is being prosecuted on a 12-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in relation to the Mambilla Power Project bordering on conspiracy to commit money laundering to the tune of N33,804,830,503.73 (Thirty-Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Four Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Five Hundred and Three Naira, Seventy-three Kobo).

Similarly, Samson Bitrus, who is Prosecution Witness PW12, and a real estate agent, told the court that he was the agent that aided Mamman in the purchase of the said property, saying that he was introduced to Mamman by his business associate, Alhaji Dan Daura.

Bitrus said that sometime in 2019, the former minister asked him to source for a property for him and to ensure a thorough check to ensure that any property picked would have no encumbrances.

He said; “After the search, we met the owner of the property and concluded the transaction by paying the purchase price. The property was at No 12 Lungi Street, Wuse 2. The name of the seller is Jidda. When we went at the seller’s place, the ex-Minister came with his friend. I think his name is Mohammed Hussein. The purchase price was N200 million and the defendant paid with dollars.

“The property owner received the money and counted it to confirm that it was complete. When we concluded the transaction, I cannot remember if the documents were signed that day, but the property was taken over with existing tenants in it,” he said.

Bitrus also said that he managed the property for Mamman after the purchase, collected the rents and remitted the money into an account provided by Mamman.

In his own testimony, the Prosecution Witness PW13, Umar Abbatilde, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank plc, said that he received a request from the EFCC asking for the account opening package, statement of account and certificate of identification of account belonging to Samson Bitrus which he made available to the Commission.

While confirming the transactions on Bitrus’ account, Abbatilde said there was an inflow of N5.5 million from Firststar Limited on June 26, 2020, and an immediate outflow to Mamman Nasir Ademu on the same day.

He also said that there was an inflow of N6 million into the account on August 11, 2022 from Vestates Limited and an outflow of N5 million to Mamman Nasir Ademu, adding that on September 14, 2022, there was an inflow of N10 million from Peter Adogbejire Mrakpor Sam & Partners and on the same day, a N3, 750,000 outflow from the same source.

According to him; “On September 24, 2022, there was an inflow of N10 million into the account and additional N2.5 million, all from the same source. The inflow continued on October 25, 2022 with N3 million from Mohammed Saleh Jemilah.

“As at November 2, 2022, the balance on Bitrus’ account was N26,964.75 (Twenty-six Million, Nine Hundred and Six-four Thousand, Seventy-five Kobo) before it was depleted on the same day with an outflow of N10 million to Mamman’s UBA account and further depleted on November 3, 2022 and November 4, 2022 with an outflow of N4 million and N2.8 million, respectively to Mamman’s account,” he said.

After the testimonies by the prosecution witnesses, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter till March 18 & 19, 2025 for further hearing.