The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, arraigned a vessel, MT Ostria, and three individuals at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos State, on charges of stealing more than 13 million litres of petrol valued at over N12 billion, belonging to NNPC Retail Limited.
The defendants, Raymundo Panaligam, a captain, and Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, officials of the vessel, and Vincent Wayas, a staff member of GMO Inspectorate Firm representing NNPC, face four counts of conspiracy and stealing.
According to the prosecution, the defendants conspired to steal 13,324,000 litres of petrol, also called Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), an offence said to contravene Sections 411 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and punishable under Section 287 of the same law.
One count of the charge states that MT Ostria, along with Messrs Panaligam, Villarin, and Wayas, conspired in January 2024 in Lagos to commit a felony by stealing 13,324,000 litres of petrol belong to NNPC Retail Limited.
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Another count alleges that on or about 17 January 2024 in Lagos, the same defendants dishonestly took 9,000,000 litres of petrol, also belonging to NNPC Retail Limited.
The EFCC said the defendants also stole an additional 3,000,000 litres of petrol owned by NNPC Retail Limited, bringing the total alleged theft to 13,324,000 litres.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them before trial judge Mojisola Dada.
Following the plea, the prosecuting lawyer, Bilikisu Buhari, urged the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending trial, arguing that they are flight risks and could abscond if granted bail.
The defence teams, however, informed the court that bail applications had already been filed.
They urged the judge to grant the defendants bail in the existing terms and conditions previously granted by the EFCC, stressing that none had defaulted on any terms.
Ruling
Ms Dada ruled that the defendants should continue under the existing EFCC bail conditions.
She adjourned the case till17 and 27 November for the commencement of the trial.
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The NNPC has formally engaged the EFCC to combat large-scale theft of crude oil and refined products.
Over the past two years, the Nigerian Navy has arrested 76 vessels and more than 240 suspects in operations targeting petroleum theft, underscoring the scale and persistence of the problem.
Reports and studies have detailed the methods, networks, and export channels involved in crude oil theft in Nigeria, as well as the tracking systems deployed to curb losses.
