Mambilla Power Project: Taraba stakeholders urge calm, insist court should decide on Sale Mamman case
A group, Concerned Stakeholders in Taraba State, has appealed for restraint amid ongoing legal proceedings involving former Minister of Power, Engr. Sale Mamman, over issues linked to the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Abdulkahi Gayus, the group urged members of the public seeking clarity on the matter to allow the courts to conclude the process without interference. The statement was made available to journalists in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The stakeholders cautioned against attempts to influence or pre-empt judicial outcomes, particularly in relation to the Mambilla Hydropower Project located on the Mambilla Plateau in Sardauna Local Government Area.
They also raised concerns over an April 21 publication by a privately owned media outlet in the state, which called on Mamman to account for delays surrounding the project.
“The Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project was conceived in the 1970s and awarded in 2003 during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, about 16 years before Engr. Mamman assumed office in 2019.
“Since then, the project has faced persistent legal, financial, and contractual challenges, including international arbitration. Assigning over four decades of delay to a minister who served for less than two years is both inaccurate and misleading,” the statement said.
The group further noted that allegations against Mamman should not be mistaken for a conviction. They pointed out that the former minister is currently facing two charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), involving alleged sums of N33.8 billion and N31.7 billion connected to the Zungeru and Mambilla projects, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
They stressed that, under the law, Mamman remains innocent until proven otherwise.
According to the statement, court proceedings — including testimonies presented in January 2025 — confirm that the case is ongoing and properly before the judiciary. The stakeholders insisted that public discourse should not replace due legal process.
The group also referenced court records in a related case involving former Minister Olu Agunloye, noting that the Federal Executive Council had, as far back as 2003, directed the withdrawal of the Mambilla contract memorandum for renegotiation — a process that was never concluded. They added that testimonies have highlighted gaps in critical agreements, contributing significantly to delays.
“It is also on record that in September 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari relieved two Ministers of their duties, including Engr. Mamman. No official statement linked his removal to the Mambilla project or allegations of corruption.”
They further argued that despite challenges in the power sector, Mamman’s tenure witnessed the completion of the 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Project, which is now connected to the national grid, describing it as evidence of his experience in managing large-scale infrastructure.
“The people of the state deserve transparency and fairness. The Mambilla project is a complex, decades-long undertaking that cannot reasonably be attributed to one individual’s tenure. Engr. Mamman should be allowed to face due process, while the public assesses his record and future aspirations based on facts, not misplaced blame,” the statement added.