The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Monday 30th September, 2013 arraigned twelve suspected oil thieves: Nuhu Makeri, David Tieno, Olusegun Odejayi, Godpower Orido, Chika Odiri, Sunkanmi Ojerinde, Emeka Udeogwu, Peter Ogundimbola, Prosper Eyetan, Gideon Ogili and Benaiah Okwubei before Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a 2-count charge bordering on conspiracy and illegal dealing of petroleum product.

The accused persons who pleaded not guilty to the charges were arrested sometime in May 2013 aboard a Ship, MV Sea Giant, owned by a company, MOEN Marine Ltd. The accused persons were arrested by men of the Nigerian Navy with over 10, 0000 Litres of illegally refined diesel oil.

The captain of the vessel confessed that it came from Lagos to load AGO from Barge ARTI, Agbara offshore.

One of the charges read; that you Nuhu Makeri, David Tieno, Olusegun Odejayi, Godpower Orido, Chika Odiri, Sunkanmi Ojerinde, Emeka Udeogwu, Peter Ogundimbola, Prosper Eyetan, Gideon Ogili, Benaiah Okwubei, MV Sea Giant and Moen Marine Ltd on or about the 16th day of May 2013 at Brass, within the Brass waterways and within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court did without lawful authority deal in 10,000 litres of petroleum products suspected to be adulterated/illegally refined diesel, by having same bunkered in your vessel MV Sea Giant of Moen Marine Ltd and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(17)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act.

Justice Akanbi adjourned the case to October 8, 2013 for the commencement of trial.

Media & Publicity,

3 October, 2013.