Court Jails NNPC Staff Over N6bn Fraud

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  • Orders forfeiture of pension, gratuity, several property to FG
EFCC secures conviction

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna State has sentenced a former Sales Assistant of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Kaduna Depot, one Abdulkadir Mohammed Salihu, to a three-year jail term for fraud to the tune of N6 billion.

The defendant will also forfeit his gratuity, 30 per cent of his monthly pension and several landed property located all over Kaduna State to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna Zonal Office secured the conviction following Salihu’s arraignment on three count charge bordering on fraud and criminal conspiracy before Justice Z. B Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

A statement by the Acting Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Tony Orilade, said Salihu, who was in charge of loading manifest at the Kaduna Depot of the NNPC, was arrested on October 29, 2019 and arraigned on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

He pleaded guilty to the three count charge when it was read to him, paving way for EFCC prosecution lawyer, Deborah Ademu-Eteh to ask for his sentencing accordingly.

The EFCC’s statement said that trouble started for the convict “when several petitions against him were submitted to the Kaduna Zonal office of the EFCC and upon investigation, it was discovered that he conspired with other marketers to lift petroleum products without payment at NNPC deport, Kaduna State worth over N6 billion.”

It said further investigations revealed that Salihu “was part of the cartel behind multiple loading of petroleum products and he committed the fraud between 2009 to 2017 at Kaduna Deport without corresponding payments.”

The statement explained that following Salihu’s guilty plea, Justice Abubakar sentenced him “to a term of three years imprisonment with an option of fine to the tune of one million Naira.”

According to Justice Abubakar, the accused will also forfeit the following items: One unit of three bedroom apartment and one unit of two bedroom boy’s quarter situated at 2 Kpak close, off College Road, Kurmin Mashin, Kaduna; One-storey building containing four bedrooms and one bedroom self-contained with its appurtenances situated at 4 Kpak close, off College Road, Kurmin Mashin, Kaduna; One unit of three bedroom apartment with two parlours; and one self-contained bedroom situated at 6 Kpak close, off College Road, Kurmin Mashin, Kaduna.

Also forfeited by the Court are: a water factory known as Ummus Water and Drinks Ltd, situated at Birnin Yero, Igabi Local Government in Kaduna; and One Fuel Station with four pumps with the name: Aminu and Salihu Ltd, situated at Sabon Gayan, Panturawa, along Saminaka, Jos Road, Kaduna.

Other items forfeited to the Federal Government are: five vehicles, including One Odyssey Space Bus; One Toyota Tacoma Pick-up; One Toyota RAV 4 Jeep; One Lexus 350 Jeep; and One Mitsubishi Petroleum Tanker.

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