Subsidy fraud: EFCC releases list of firms, persons to be arraigned

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] has released the list of the first batch of fuel subsidy suspects to be prosecuted in court.

There are altogether seven companies and 12 individual. They are:

The companies: 

1. Nasaman Oil Services, 

2. Eternal Oil and Gas Plc, 

3. Ontario Oil & Gas Plc, 

4. Nadabo Energy Limited, 

5. Pacific Silver Line Limited, 

6. Axenergy Limited, and,

7. Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The individuals: 

1. Mamman Nasir Ali, 

2. Christian Taylor, 

3. Mahmud Tukur, 

4. Ochonogor Alex, 

5. Walter Wagbatsoma, 

6. Adaoha Ugo-Ngadi, 

7. Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer, 

8. Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele, 

9. Abubakar Ali Peters, 

10. Jude Agube Abalaka, 

11. Abdulahi Alao and,

12. Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo.

Ezekiel Olaleye Ejidele is director of renowned accounting firm, Akintola Williams Delloite, while Fakuade Babafemi Ebenezer is a staff of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulating Agency (PPPRA).

Nasaman Oil Services, Mamman Nasir and Christian Taylor are to face charges bordering on obtaining N4,460,130,797.94 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 30.5m litres of Premium Motor Spirit from SEATAC Petroleum Limited of British Virgin Islands.

In the same vein, the anti-corruption agency will equally prosecute Abdulahi Alao and Axenergy Limited for allegedly obtaining the sum of N2,640,141,707.75.

They are payments received from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 33.3million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Others include Mahmud Tukur, Ochonogor Alex, Abdulahi Alao and Eternal Oil And Gas Plc.

They will be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,899,238,946.02 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 N1,464,961,978.24.

These are 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 N1,959,377,542.63 from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 39.2million litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

Lastly, Fago Petroleum and Gas Limited and Oluwaseun Ogunbanbo are to be docked for fraudulently obtaining the sum of N979,653,110.20 from the Petroleum Support Fund for a purported importation of 33, 627, 840 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

According to EFCC, the suspects are among a larger list of more than 140 individuals and organisations involved in ongoing investigations into the subsidy payments, and so more suspects will be arraigned periodically as the investigation progresses.

The Commission described the investigation as massive and extensive.

It reassured Nigerians that it would do all within its powers to apprehend and punish all the people that defrauded the country under the guise of subsidy for imported fuel.

Before now, there had been widespread belief that those involved could evade justice, as a number of high-profile national figures are thought to have spearheaded the scam.

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