Court remands alleged oil bunkers in prison

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arraigned seven men before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without legal authority.

The seven men are: Etta Agboriso; Asike Collins Omonegho; Ubani T. Friday; Akinola A. Olantrwaju; Sanusi Adeola; Njoku O. Joshua and Sunday Okenwa, while the vessel was Mt. D’Favour.

Arraigning the defendants before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke led-court, the prosecutor, Mr. Mohammed Bashir, told the court that the defendants were arrested sometime in March 2019, by the men of Nigerian Navy, for unlawfully dealing in 150 metric tonnes of Automated Gasoline Oil (AGO) popularly called diesel.

He told the court that the offences committed by the seven men contravened sections 17(a & b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Revised Edition) 2004 and Punishable the same Law.

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The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date.

He also urged the court to remand them in the custody of Nigeria Correctional Services until the conclusion of the charge.

But their counsel who opposed the prosecutor submission urged the court to remand them in EFCC’s custody till when their bail applications will be heard and determined.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Aneke, ordered that all the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services.

Subsequently, the trial date was fixed for April 24.