Justice A. T Mohammed of the Federal High Court sitting in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced fourteen oil thieves
to various jail terms for illegal oil bunkering.
The convicts were all arraigned on Tuesday, July 30, 2019 by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Port Harcourt’s Zonal
office, on one-count separate charge bordering on illegal dealing in
petroleum products, contrary to Section 4(1) of the Petroleum Act, Cap
P10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 and punishable under
Section 4(6) of the same Act.
The count charge read: “That you Mohammed Abba, Adamu Usman and
Babangida Audu on or about June, 2018, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did distribute
petroleum product (Automotive Gas Oil) with Mack Truck with registration
number YLA 112 ZV, without Licence and thereby committed an offence
contrary to Section 4(1) of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10 Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004 and punishable under Section 4(6) of
the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded guilty to their one count separate charge when
read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecuting counsels, S. Chime, M.T. Iko and C.
Okorie urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
But counsels to the defendants (before being convicted): D. G Uduru; M.
M Suleiman; Joseph Omogba; A.B Abdulahi and C.N.Wolucho did not oppose
the prayers of the prosecution counsels.
Justice Mohammed convicted and sentenced Abba and Usman to two years
imprisonment with an option of fine of N100, 000 (One Hundred Thousand
Naira) each, while the rest 13 (thirteen) defendants were convicted and
sentenced to a fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira (100,000.00) each.
They are: Babangida Audu; Chijioke Ali; Muhammad Jamilu; Umaru Hussaini;
Ahmadu Adamu; Muhammed Muhammed; Mahmud Girei; Abubakar Mai Nasara;
Sadiq Ismaila; Sama’ila Njidda; Mahmud Abdullahi, Chima Onuha and Sadiq
Ismaila
The Judge also ordered that the petroleum products they were caught with
be forfeited to the Federal Government.
All the convicts got into trouble when they were intercepted by men of
the Nigerian Army, 6 Division, Port Harcourt sometimes in 2018 and 2019
at different locations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State distributing
Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) using Trucks, Tankers, Escavator with
registration numbers YLA 112 ZV; YLA 110 ZV; MGN 22 XA; KPR 23 XA; LFA
403 XA, KPR 24 XA; BNY 490 XA; KPR 345 XA; MUB 807 XA; BGM 229 XA; YEN
423 XA; BKR 395 XA; KWL 60 ZA and an Escavator 320 CL CAT without
appropriate licences.