IGP Accuses Military Of ‘Forcefully’ Taking Suspected Oil Bunkerers From Police Custody

The Inspector-General of Police has informed the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that the armed forces allegedly forcefully took away suspected oil bunkerers from police custody.

The IGP made the submission through his counsel, Idris Mohammed, before Justice James Omotosho.

THE WHISTLER reports that the police authorities had sued 19 persons before the court for oil bunkering offenses in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/60/2024.

The defendants are MT Harbor Spirit, Muhammad Malik Sidique, Joju Oil and Gas Ltd, Shittu Joseph, Enudi Kenneth Amechi, Jeremiah Oberhiri Nyohe, Abiodun Kolapo Joseph, Razaq Mahmud, Onwe Jonas Egana, Jeremiah Fezighe Gilbert(1st to 10th defendants)

Others are Idon Simeon Amon, Adedeji Nathaniel Thomson, Effiong Ekpo Otu, Preye Moses Egbuson, Opoufoni Owei, Abiodun Razaq, Youngstar Amon, Collins Ebuka Eluche and Taiye Rashid Balogun.

But the police eventually amended the charges dated February 28, suing only MT Harbor Spirit, Muhammad Malik Sidique and Joju Oil and Gas Ltd.

Count one of the amended charge, stated that the three defendants and “the 4th to 19th defendants in the earlier charge (now at large) on February 4, 2024, in the Deep Sea in Ogbogoro Oil Field, Brass Area of Bayelsa State, conspired to tamper with oil pipeline for the transportation of crude oil.”

At the resumed proceedings scheduled for arraignment of the suspects, Mohammed, counsel for the IGP, told the court that though he filed a five-count charge dated February 15 ,2024, the 4th to 19th defendant in earlier charge were taken away “from our custody by the armed forces”

He prayed the court to issue summons on the other defendants (said to be at large), adding that he filed an amended charge dated February 24.

But Justice James Omotosho faulted the IGP’s lawyer for stating in his amended charge that the 4th to 19th defendants supposedly in the custody of the armed forces were “at large”.

The judge said so long as the lawyer claimed the defendants were with the armed forces, their location was known and not at large as indicated in the amended charge sheet.

“Counsel, always do something properly. If I had not corrected you, you would have asked me to issue a summon on people you have amended charges against.

“Counsel, you hold duty to this court. You have already removed their names from the charge and you want me to issue an order?

“With what you have just said; that the armed forces took them to their custody, are they at large?,” Omotosho asked.

Mohammed then sought the leave of court to amend the amended charges in open court.

But the judge observed more errors with the charge sheet and rather ordered the prosecution to “go and amend your charges properly.”

Counsel for the defendants, Michael A.N. Mbanefo, did not object to the charge being worked on.

However, he seized the moment to ask the judge to direct the prosecution to agree with him and grant his client, who appeared in court, administrative bail.

But Omotosho refused the request for bail, saying “the court does not grant administrative bail.”

Justice Omotosho then adjourned to the 6th of March for arraignment, while noting the prosecution’s submission that “The other defendants apart from first to third defendant, in the initial charge, were forcefully taken away from us, the police, by the Nigerian military.”