A Federal High Court sitting in Warri has arraigned four suspects for allegedly transporting 40,000 litres of petroleum products without the necessary license or authorization.
The suspects were apprehended through a joint effort by Tantita Security Services and the Nigerian Navy.
The recently inaugurated Presidential Taskforce on Petroleum Product Theft and Sundry Energy Crimes is leading the prosecution in this case.
In court, the four defendants pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge, including conspiracy and dealing in petroleum products without a license.
Presiding over the case, Justice Ajiya Nganjiwa directed the defence counsel to file a formal bail application and adjourned the trial to June 25 for its commencement.
The Presidential Taskforce has promised to aggressively prosecute cases like this as part of its crackdown on crude oil theft. It has also issued a stern warning: the destruction of stolen petroleum products is now a crime.
According to recent statistics, Nigeria’s oil and condensate production averaged 1.672 million barrels per day in February, marking a 4% decline from January’s output.
As the fight against crude oil theft intensifies, all eyes will be on the Federal High Court when the trial kicks off on the 25th of June 25.
