An Indian man, Tukur Shamsudden, and 12 others were arraigned on Tuesday, June 10, by the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly conspiring to divert diesel worth over ₦4 billion belonging to Dangote Industries Limited.
The defendants appeared before Justice Deinde Dipeolu at the Federal High Court, Lagos. They were slammed with 16 counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful diversion of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and receiving proceeds from fraudulently diverted petroleum products.
The accused include Ikechukwu Obi, Chigozie Osukwu, Ukaegbu Chukwuma, Umeh Ugochukwu, Emmanuella Akamadu, Zango Umar, Emmanuel Oku, Shaibu Michael, Lucky Otoide, Mmaduabuchi Okezuonu, Ephraim Kanakapudi, and Omojowo Emmanuel.
According to the prosecution led by Mr M. Y. Bello, the suspects are either employees of Dangote Petroleum Refinery or staff of transport contractors hired to move diesel from Dangote depots to its plants in Ibese and Obajana.
Bello specifically named some Dangote employees, Akamadu Emmanuella, Emmanuel Oku, Zango Umar, Lucky Otoide, and Ephraim Kanakapudi, among those accused of aiding the diversion.
Others were linked to companies including Arigen Integrated Limited, Obat Limited, Amaiden Energy Limited, Regal Gate Limited, Alkham Limited, Prestige Limited, and Opetrus Global Limited.
The prosecutor alleged that between January 2022 and December 2023, Shamsudden, representing Regal Gate Ltd, Alkham Limited, and Prestige Limited, diverted 1,530,893 litres of AGO valued at ₦1.53 billion.
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He further claimed that Omojowo, acting as Managing Director of Opetrus Global Ltd, fraudulently diverted 2,455,229 litres of AGO, valued at ₦2.45 billion, on or before December 20, 2023.
“These offences contravene Sections 21(a) and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act,” Bello told the court.
He added that the charges also violate Sections 383(2)(a) and 10 of the Criminal Code Act, punishable under Sections 390 and 516.
All 13 defendants pleaded not guilty.
Bello informed the court that some of the accused had previously been granted bail under separate conditions.
He also announced the filing of an amended charge following the recent arrest of Shamsudden, Ephraim, and Omojowo, prompting their re-arraignment.
Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter till July 22 and 23, 2025, for trial to begin.