EFCC SECURES CONVICTION OF 10 MEN FOR ILLEGAL PETROLEUM DEALING IN DELTA
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By: Hammad Fasasi
Ten men have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms for illegal dealings in petroleum products in Warri, Delta State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission disclosed this in a statement published on its official X account on Friday, stating that Justice H. A. Nganjiwa of the Federal High Court in Warri delivered the judgments.
The convicts were identified as James Terry, Gift Godfrey, Obidi Obi, Anthony Edekobi and Victor Sule.
Others include Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo, Victor Edem and Sunday Eyere.
The defendants were arraigned by the EFCC’s Benin Zonal Directorate on a one-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and illegal dealings in petroleum products.
According to the commission, one of the charges against Victor Edem Udo accused him of dealing in Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, which allegedly failed to meet the required quality standards.
The offence was said to have been committed on August 8, 2026, at Koko in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, contrary to Section 1(18)(a)(ii) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Upon their arraignment, all the defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo, to urge the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Justice Nganjiwa subsequently sentenced James Terry and Gift Ezewu Godfrey to two years’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N300,000 fine.
Similarly, Obidi Peter Obi, Victor Ataria Sule, Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo and Victor Edem received three-year jail terms each, with an option of a N300,000 fine.
The court also sentenced Sunday Eyere to three years’ imprisonment or a N400,000 fine, while Anthony Edekobi received three years’ imprisonment or a N350,000 fine.
The EFCC explained that the suspects were initially arrested following intelligence provided by the Office of the National Security Adviser concerning their suspicious activities in Koko, Delta State.
The commission added that the arrests were followed by investigations and prosecution, which eventually led to their convictions.
The Miscellaneous Offences Act criminalises dealings in substandard or adulterated petroleum products, prescribing penalties that include imprisonment and fines.
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