Ten jailed for illegal dealing in petroleum products in Warri
By Ayorinde Oluokun
A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State has convicted and sentenced ten people to jail after they pleaded guilty to charges bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum products.
The convicts who were sentenced on Friday by Justice H. A. Nganjiwa are James Terry, Gift Ezewu Godfrey, Obidi Peter Obi, Anthony Onyebuchi Edekobi, Victor Ataria Sule.
Others are Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo, Victor Edem and Sunday Ndem Eyere.
Dele Oyewale, the head of media & publicity of EFCC said the convicts were arraigned on one count -charge of criminal conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products by the Benin Zonal Directorate of the anti-graft agency.
The charge against Victor Edem Udo reads: That you Victor Edem Udo (m) on or about the 8th day of August 2026 at Koko, Warri North Local government Area of Delta State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did deal in petroleum products (Automotive Gas Oil) AGO which is not of the quality expected of the product and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(18)(a)(ii) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Revised Edition) 2004.
Upon arraignment, all the defendants pleaded guilty to their charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, Francis Jirbo to pray the court to sentence and convict them accordingly.
Justice Nganjiwa convicted and sentenced James Terry and Gift Ezewu Godfrey to two years imprisonment or a fine of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000).
Obidi Peter Obi, Victor Ataria Sule, Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo, Victor Edem were sentenced to three years imprisonment each or a fine of Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000) each.
Sunday Ndem Eyere bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000) while Anthony Onyebuchi Edekobi bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N350,000).
The convicts’ road to prison began following their arrest based on intelligence from the Office of the National Security Adviser of their suspicious activities in Koko, Delta State.
They were thereafter prosecuted and convicted.