5 oil thieves remanded in Ikoyi Prison

A Federal High Court in Lagos Nigeria on Thursday remanded five suspected oil pipeline vandals at the Ikoyi Prisons in Lagos, over their alleged involvement in the adulteration and illegal sale of petroleum products. Justice Mohammed Yunusa, gave the order following a request by Mrs Rita Ezeli, the prosecutor for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC).

The accused – Olusola Ojo, Friday Ehimigail, Monday Omokhafe, Austine Iruafemi and Kenneth Omorogbe – are facing a six-count charge bordering on adulteration and the illegal sale of petroleum products.

Ezeli told the court that the accused, all residents of Mafoluku, Oshodi in Lagos, were apprehended by officers of the NSCDC on March 24.

She said that the defendants were arrested at a hideout in Oshodi, where they engaged in adulteration of the products.

According to the prosecutor, the accused were `reasonably suspected’ to have been involved in the vandalism of oil pipelines, where they got the products.

Ezeli said that several gallons of adulterated Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) were recovered from the accused, who had been selling the product to the public.

She said that the offences committed contravened Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under Section 1 (18) (a) of the Act.

The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Yunusa, a vacation judge, adjourned the case till April 18 for trial