EFCC lists 1st batch of alleged fuel subsidy fraudsters to be prosecuted

 

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, being 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, who 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, 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 N1,959,377,542.63 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, 84 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, and
reassured Nigerians that it would do all within its powers to apprehend
and punish all the people 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. (TheWill Nigeria)