EFCC Presents NNPC Witness in Alleged 25 Million Litres Petrol Theft Trial

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented a second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial involving the vessel MT Ostria and three others over the alleged theft of 25,354,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Retail Limited.

The case is being heard before Justice Mojisola Dada at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos.

The defendants MT Ostria, Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Vincent Wayas—were arraigned on October 29, 2025, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and theft. According to the EFCC, the offences violate Sections 411 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and are punishable under Section 287.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, an NNPC official, testifying as a prosecution witness, explained how discrepancies in fuel discharge figures triggered the investigation.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Bilikisu Buhari, the witness told the court that concerns arose after D. Torros Shipping Limited, the receiving terminal, halted discharge operations due to inconsistencies between the vessel’s reported discharge volume and the quantity received.

He noted that the discrepancy raised operational concerns, particularly the risk of additional costs due to delays. The issue was subsequently reported to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which escalated the matter to relevant agencies, including the Department of State Services and the EFCC.

The witness added that he was invited by the EFCC, where he provided a statement and submitted documents related to the transaction.

He confirmed that all documents tendered were generated using the company’s operational systems, which were functioning properly at the time. The court admitted the documents into evidence.

Explaining the transaction structure, the witness outlined the roles of NNPC Retail, NNPC Trading, and NNPC Shipping. He identified NNPC Retail Limited as the rightful owner of the petroleum products in question, referencing a Credit Sales Invoice admitted as Exhibit P4.

According to him, the document showed that NNPC Trading confirmed the sale of about 20.3 million litres of PMS transported via MT Ostria, which was nominated from a mother vessel, MT Northern Light.

He further explained that the transaction followed an established framework requiring requests for petroleum products through a company portal, where sales quotations—known as Pro Forma Invoices (PFIs)—are generated. The invoice presented in court contained two such PFI numbers: 20001584 and 20001601, which are essential for tracking the transaction.

Justice Dada adjourned the case until April 15, 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination.