The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday said a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency(PPPRA), Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer, a director with Akintola Williams Deliote accounting firm, Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and 18 others for trial in connection with alleged fuel subsidy fraud of N13, 403,504,083billion.

The suspects will face trial for purportedly importing about 237million litres of petroleum products which the anti-graft commission could not trace.

According to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, the affected suspects will face trial in Lagos courts.

The commission said the 20 suspects belong to the first batch of 140 individuals and organizations being investigated over fuel subsidy scam.

A breakdown of the suspects showed that seven companies and 13 individuals are involved.

The statement said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has concluded arrangements to prosecute the first batch of 18 suspects implicated in the oil subsidy fraud. The suspects, comprising six oil companies and 11 individuals, will be docked in Lagos courts.

“The companies involved are: Nasaman Oil Services; Eternal Oil and Gas Plc; Ontario Oil & Gas Plc; Nadabo Energy Limited; Pacific Silver Line Limited, Axenergy Limited and Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

“The 12 individuals involved in the scam are: Mamman Nasir Ali; Christian Taylor; Mahmud Tukur; Ochonogor Alex; Walter Wagbatsoma; Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele; Abubakar Ali Peters; Jude Agube Abalaka, Abdulahi Alao and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

“Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of the accounting firm, Akintola Williams Deliote while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency, PPPRA.”

Out of the suspects, the EFCC said Abdulahi Alao will face double trial, making the number of suspects to be 20.

But Alao will however be docked in another separate charge.

The statement gave the details of findings against the suspects, especially how they purportedly imported over 237million litres of petroleum products and benefited from fuel subsidy.

“Nasaman Oil Services; Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4, 460, 130, 797. 94billion from the Federal Government of Nigeria under false pretence.

“The sum is alleged to have been fraudulently obtained as subsidy payments from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands .

“In the same vein, the anti-graft agency will equally prosecute Abdulahi Alao and Axenergy Limited for allegedly obtaining the sum of N2, 640, 141, 707.75billion being payments received from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

“Others include Mahmud Tukur, Ochonogor Alex; Abdulahi Alao and Eternal Oil And Gas Plc who will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 899, 238, 946. 02billion from the Petroleum support Fund for a purported importation of 80.3million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

“Also, Nadabo Energy Limited, Abubakar Ali Peters, Jude Agube Abalaka and Pacific Silver Line Limited are to be prosecuted for allegedly obtaining the sum of N1, 464, 961, 978.24billion being payments fraudulently received from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 19.4million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

“Walter Wagbatsoma; Adaoha Ugo -Ngadi; Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer; Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele and Ontario Oil & Gas Nigeria Limited will be arraigned for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1, 959, 377, 542, .63billion from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

“Lastly, Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo are to be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20million from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 84 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.”

The EFCC assured that more suspects will be arraigned periodically.

The statement added: “The 20 suspects are among the over 140 individuals and organisations involved in the on- going investigations into the subsidy payments by the EFCC.

“More suspects will be arraigned periodically as the investigation progresses.

“This investigation is massive and extensive; and the Commission wishes to reassure Nigerians that every effort will be made to bring all those who defrauded the country in the guise of subsidy for imported fuel to book. "

The House Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy had recommended that some oil marketers and top officials of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) should be investigated and prosecuted by anti-graft agencies.

According to the report, those to be probed by anti-graft agencies (now only EFCC) are 121 oil marketers as follows:



· 17 marketers that did not obtain FOREX but claimed to have imported petroleum products.

· 15 marketers who obtained FOREX but did not import petroleum products.

· 71 oil marketers to face probe and refund N230.1billion

· 18 oil marketers committed other infractions.

President Goodluck Jonathan had on May 21 referred the Fuel Subsidy Report to the EFCC for further investigation and criminal trial of culpable ones.

The anti-graft agency said it is probing 140 of such cases.

c-baba:
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN! SHISHI...I CAN BET MY LIFE ON THIS...IF YOU ARE POOR AND DONT HAVE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS,YOU WILL BE THE SCAPEGOAT...NIGERIANS WANT A SCAPEGOAT AND EFFC WILL GIVE THEM ONE SOON...SHEBI DEM SAY NA PHASE1...when they clear this bribemoney...another batch comes no be so and on and on till they sweep the acct to you know where...it has already eaten deep....corruption...Money always saves the day...it has and will forever! Thats why I love it! Suspect Ko! Suspense Ni......Taaa!

Do you even know the names u r F.c. uking with? ARe you crazy most pppra staff saw this mail and just deleted it because of the heavyweights...kpatakpata 2 weeks this one don die down! my time to enter jacuzzi,dem say no more water. <curses in mongolian tounge>

c-baba:
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN! SHISHI...I CAN BET MY LIFE ON THIS...IF YOU ARE POOR AND DONT HAVE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS,YOU WILL BE THE SCAPEGOAT...NIGERIANS WANT A SCAPEGOAT AND EFFC WILL GIVE THEM ONE SOON...SHEBI DEM SAY NA PHASE1...when they clear this bribemoney...another batch comes no be so and on and on till they sweep the acct to you know where...it has already eaten deep....corruption...Money always saves the day...it has and will forever! Thats why I love it! Suspect Ko! Suspense Ni......Taaa!

Do you even know the names u r F.c. uking with? ARe you crazy most pppra staff saw this mail and just deleted it because of the heavyweights...kpatakpata 2 weeks this one don die down! my time to enter jacuzzi,dem say no more water. <curses in mongolian tounge>

mutiply: why did dey nt put d time frame whn dey will be aranged in court,we all knw dat dey will nt prosecuted,by d way,which report did dey use?is it d farcrook report?

KokoBeware:

Well at least they are proesecuting.... firstly we all said nothing will happen that noone will be prosecuted... when there was delay due to "investigation".. we cried why are they delaying..now they have started prosecution we cry again and bet "OUR LIVES" on it that nothing will happen....
Truth is we are insatiable...

c-baba:
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN! SHISHI...I CAN BET MY LIFE ON THIS...IF YOU ARE POOR AND DONT HAVE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS,YOU WILL BE THE SCAPEGOAT...NIGERIANS WANT A SCAPEGOAT AND EFFC WILL GIVE THEM ONE SOON...SHEBI DEM SAY NA PHASE1...when they clear this bribemoney...another batch comes no be so and on and on till they sweep the acct to you know where...it has already eaten deep....corruption...Money always saves the day...it has and will forever! Thats why I love it! Suspect Ko! Suspense Ni......Taaa!

Do you even know the names u r F.c. uking with? ARe you crazy most pppra staff saw this mail and just deleted it because of the heavyweights...kpatakpata 2 weeks this one don die down! my time to enter jacuzzi,dem say no more water. <curses in mongolian tounge>

Nwa Teacher: Kai, is Hausa and Yoruba men that are mostly involved. They are the people eating the oil money while the main Naija Deltans are very far from oil money. No south south or south east name in d list. Chei, monkey dey work baboon dey chop

nne3870: Nigerians when are we going to stop criticizing and for once appreciate what this govt is doing? Now this oil thieves ar being prosecuted, still u guys are not seeing GEJ efforts to make sure that they pay for their crimes. This country belongs to us and if we can't applaud govt efforts who wil? Lets wait and see where all of the probes wil lead to before we can make all the ''cursing'' and criticisms.

Nwa Teacher: Kai, is Hausa and Yoruba men that are mostly involved. They are the people eating the oil money while the main Naija Deltans are very far from oil money. No south south or south east name in d list. Chei, monkey dey work baboon dey chop