14 foreigners remanded over illegal oil bunkering

Kunle Awosiyan |

Fourteen foreigners have been remanded by Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for allegedly involved in oil bunkering.

The 14 nationals are from Russia, Ukraine, Japan and the United Kingdom and they include Artur Pakhladzhian, Sergo Abbgarian, Vasily Shkundich, Vitaliy Bilours, Hlarion Regipor, Laguta Oleksiy, Cadavis Gerarado, Kretov Andry, Badurian Benjamin, Chepikov Olksan, Naranjo Antero, Patro Christian, Alcayde Joel and Caratiquit Beyan, alongside their companies.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC had brought them before the court over their alleged involvement in oil bunkering in Nigeria.

According to EFCC the accused were alleged to have illegally dealt in several thousands metric tons of petroleum products such as automotive gas oil (diesel) and low pour fuel oil, LPFO.

EFFC said that the accused had dealt in petroleum products without lawful authority or appropriate licence contrary to Section 19(6) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federal of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act.

EFCC’s lawyer told the court that the accused illegally dealt in 1,738.087 metric tons of petroleum product; 1,500 metric tons of automotive gas oil aboard MT Anukret Emerald’s cargo tank and 3,035 metric tons of low pour fuel oil, LPFO, aboard the same cargo on March 27.

In his ruling, Justice Ibrahim Buba of Lagos High Court ordered the accused to be remanded in prison, pending compliance with the bail conditions.

The bail condition, according to the ruling is for the accused to pay the sum of N50 million each, with one surety in like sum, while the surety must be a resident of Lagos.