Warri court jails 10 for illegal diesel trade, with fines from ₦300,000

A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, don give prison terms to 10 people wey admit say dem dey do illegal business with petroleum products, including diesel wey no meet di required quality standards.

Justice H.A. Nganjiwa deliver di ruling on Friday, 6 November 2026. Na di Benin Zonal Directorate of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) bring di case, and dem say di arrests follow tip-off from di Office of di National Security Adviser (ONSA) about suspicious activity for Koko, Warri North Local Government Area.

Di 10 people na James Terry, Gift Ezewu Godfrey, Obidi Peter Obi, Anthony Onyebuchi Edekobi, Victor Ataria Sule, Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo, Victor Edem and Sunday Ndem Eyere. Each of dem face one count of criminal conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products, and all of dem plead guilty when dem read di charge to dem.

Prosecution counsel Francis Jirbo then ask di court to convict and sentence dem based on dia pleas.

Why dis one matter for drivers

One of di charges, against Victor Edem Udo, allege say he handle Automotive Gas Oil (AGO, or diesel) wey no reach di quality wey di product suppose get. Dem say di offence happen for Koko on 8 August 2026, and di charge cite Section 1(18)(a)(ii) of di Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of di Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Poor-quality diesel na direct concern for Nigerian motorists and businesses wey dey run generator. E fit damage engines and fuel systems, wey mean extra repair bills on top of wetin drivers already dey pay for fuel.

Di EFCC no talk how much product dey involved for dis case, or whether any of di convicts don pay di fines instead of serving time.

Wetin go happen next

Di sentences break down like dis:

• James Terry and Gift Ezewu Godfrey: two years each, or ₦300,000 fine each.
• Obidi Peter Obi, Victor Ataria Sule, Jubril Abubakar, Auwal Aliyu, Nnaemeka Nwobodo and Victor Edem: three years each, with option of ₦300,000 each.
• Anthony Onyebuchi Edekobi: three years, or ₦350,000 fine.
• Sunday Ndem Eyere: three years, or ₦400,000 fine.

Di convictions come as security agencies dey step up action against illegal refining and sale of petroleum products outside di rules. Di EFCC talk dis week say dem find one suspected illegal refinery for Ogere, Ogun State, wey Chinese nationals allegedly dey run, where dem store substances wey dem believe na diesel inside underground tanks. Di commission say di operators allegedly bring sludge oil from Warri and Port Harcourt come process.

Separately, di Nigerian Navy talk say dem find one suspected illegal refining site for Rivers State in October 2026 wey get about 114,500 litres of petroleum products, including about 105,000 litres of suspected illegally refined diesel and 9,500 litres of suspected stolen crude.

For residents of oil-producing communities, di bigger worry na di pollution and safety risk wey illegal refining dey cause, and also di loss of revenue wey suppose reach government coffers.