EFCC ARRAIGNS FOREIGN VESSEL, CREW OVER ALLEGED THEFT OF 25 MILLION LITRES OF PETROL IN LAGOS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
A major oil theft scandal has rocked Lagos as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned a foreign vessel, MT Ostria, and three of its crew members for allegedly stealing over 25 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) belonging to NNPC Retail Limited.
The accused persons — Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Mr. Vincent Wayas — were brought before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
According to the EFCC, the crew siphoned millions of litres of petrol between January 2024 and other undisclosed dates in Lagos waters. The offences, the Commission said, contravene Sections 411 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and are punishable under Section 287 of the same law.
In one of the counts, the defendants were accused of conspiring to steal 13,354,000 litres of petrol, while other counts involved the alleged theft of 9,000,000 litres and 3,000,000 litres — all property of NNPC Retail Limited.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Prosecuting counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, urged the court to deny bail, arguing that the accused posed a flight risk and might abscond since “they have nothing to lose.”
The defence countered, maintaining that the EFCC had already granted bail during investigation and that the defendants had fully complied with all conditions.
Justice Dada upheld the defence’s position, ruling that the accused persons should remain on their existing EFCC bail terms, and adjourned the case to November 17 and 27, 2025, for trial commencement.
The case highlights Nigeria’s ongoing struggle against large-scale fuel theft, a crime that continues to bleed billions of naira from the nation’s oil sector despite increased surveillance and enforcement efforts.
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