Crime

EFCC re-arraigns Ex-PDP Chairman’s son, one other for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

Published

9 months ago

March 27, 2023

The Lagos Zonal Com mand of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday arraigned one Mamman Nasir Ali, son of Ahmadu Ali, a former Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and one Christian Taylor before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos for an alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.

They were arraigned alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on an amended 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, contrary to Section 8 and 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006; obtaining money by false pretences, contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006; forgery, contrary to Section 363 (3)(j) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011; and use of false documents contrary to Section 364 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

One of the counts reads, “Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large) and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large), on or about the 9th day of November 2011 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain the sum of N749,991,273.36 (Seven Hundred and Forty-nine Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-one Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy-three Naira Thirty-six Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely claiming that the sum of N749,991,273.36 represented subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation of 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which Nasaman Oil Services Ltd purported to have purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd Ex MT Overseas Lima, which representation you knew to be false.”

Another count reads, “Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large) and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large), on or about the 11th day of April 2011 at Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N1,480,074,125.61 (One Billion Four Hundred and Eighty Million Seventy-four Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-five Naira Sixty-one Kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria by claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation of 20,492,982.50 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), which Nasaman Oil Services Ltd purported to have purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of British Virgin Islands and imported into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ex Mt. Hellenic Blue and Ex MT. Milleura, which representation you knew to be false.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.

They were initially standing trial before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja

However, Justice Onigbanjo withdrew from the case on health grounds, prompting the re-assignment of the case to Justice Dada.

Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, S.K. Atteh, prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution call its witnesses and tender necessary documents to prove the case against them.

The defence counsel, Kolade Obafemi, however, applied to the court to allow the defendants to continue to enjoy the bail already granted to them by Justice Onigbanjo.

“We crave your lordship’s indulgence that the existing bail granted to the defendants be allowed to continue,” he said.

In response, Atteh noted that what was most paramount for the prosecution was the attendance of the defendants to face trial.

“Our interest is that the defendants attend trial; and so, we leave the decision to the discretion of this Honourable Court,” he said.

The defence counsel could not immediately present the bail papers of the defendants to the court, though he furnished the court with the earlier court rulings of Justice Onigbanjo with regard to the bail applications.

“I need to see the bail papers,” Justice Dada insisted.

In the instance, Justice Dada ordered that the defendants be remanded at the EFCC custody till the bail papers are presented to the court and a formal application for the bail of the defendants is filed.

The case has been adjourned till May 29 to 31, 2023 for trial.

Crime

Two arrested for killing, dismembering 100-level OAU student in Ogun

Published

12 hours ago

December 7, 2023

NewsDirect

The Ogun State Police Command says it has arrested two suspected ritualists, Akeem Usman and Ifadowo Niyi, for allegedly killing and dismembering a 100-level student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Quadri Salami.

The suspects reportedly murdered the 18-year-old Salami, dismembered his body and buried the remains in a shallow grave.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the arrest of the suspects to journalists on Thursday.

The publicist explained that the deceased’s father had reported the sudden disappearance of his son to the police at Kemta police station on 14th November.

The deceased’s father had told the police that his son was last seen on 8th November.

The PPRO, however, said a police investigation led to the arrest of one of the suspects, Akeem Usman, who was found in possession of the deceased’s phone.

The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamut, on Wednesday, led a tactical squad to Mile 6 in the Ajebo area of Abeokuta, where the deceased’s body parts were buried in a shallow grave.

“He (Akeem Usman) implicated one Ifadowo Niyi that both of them committed the heinous crime by slaughtering the victim, one Quadri and dismembering his vital parts for ritual purposes.

“Ifadowo went away with Quadri’s head and his two wrists and paid the sum of N100,00 into Akeem Usman’s account as proceeds from the sale of the human body parts. The other parts were then buried,” Odutola said.

Crime

Police to impound vehicles with shielded vehicle number plates in Katsina

Published

12 hours ago

December 7, 2023

NewsDirect

The Police Command in Katsina State says it will begin impounding vehicles with covered plate numbers as from Monday.

The spokesman of the command, ASP Aliyu Abubakar-Sadiq, announced this in a statement issued to newsmen in Katsina on Thursday.

He said, “This is to inform the public that the command has observed with great dissatisfaction the proliferation of driving motor vehicles in the state without or with covered number plates.

“In view of the above, the command is giving the motorists an ultimatum of Monday, Dec. 11, 2023, that their number plates or their vehicle will be impounded and face the full wrath of the law.”

Crime

Court remands two for alleged murder in Ibadan

Published

13 hours ago

December 7, 2023

NewsDirect

An Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Thursday ordered the remand of two individuals, Shamsun Mohammed, 25, and Ya’u Yinusa, 25, in an Ibadan correctional facility for alleged murder.

The defendants were charged with conspiracy and murder, but their addresses were not disclosed.

Mrs S. Zubair, the magistrate, refused to hear the defendants’ plea for lack of jurisdiction

She ordered that the case file be returned to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for legal guidance.

Zubair then adjourned the case until January 30, 2024, for further consideration.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Oladejo Balogun, the defendants committed the crime on November 22 around 4 pm in the Bodija area of Ibadan.

Balogun said that the defendants and those at large illegally killed Usman Umaru, 25, by stabbing him in the chest with a broken bottle.

He said that the offence violated Sections 324 and 319 of the Oyo State Criminal Laws of 2000.