EFCC Probes 2 Over Alleged Oil Theft, Arraigns 3 Others For N174m Fraud

Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have commended investigation allegation of oil theft against two suspects in Akwa Ibom.

LEADERSHIP gathered the suspects – Moses Michael Mufans and Abba Sunday, were arrested by a Joint Task Force (JTF) team of officers from the 2 Brigade of Nigerian Army for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without requisite licence.

EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Ojewale, who disclosed this to Journalists, recalled that the suspects were arrested at Ikot Ekpene local government area on November 4, 2025, by the JTF team who later handed them over to the EFCC on Friday November 7, 2025.

“At the time of their arrest, the suspects were allegedly loading petroleum products suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) from an underground dump at Olive Field Filling Station Ikot Ekpene, into a white Iveco Truck with registration number SMK 185 XB. An estimated quantity of 19,400 litres of the said product were stored in the underground dump,” he explained.

The agency listed the Iveco truck loaded with approximately 3,287 litres of the illegally refined AGO, and the underground dump at Olive Field Filling Station with estimated 19,400 litres, as incriminating evidences uncovered during the investigation.

The Commission also recovered two Yamaha pumping machines, four suction hoses, one Mercedes Benz MI 350 with registration number KRF 287 EP, and a DAF 75 CF with registration number, GGE 193 XG.

In the same vein, the EFCC Zonal Directorate has arraigned three suspected fraudsters – Akaninyene Enefiok Archibong, Sylvanus Edet Akpan and Glory Enefiok Archibong, before Justice Maurine Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, the state capital.

The suspects were arraigned in a 22-count charge bordering on stealing, conspiracy, money laundering and criminal diversion to the tune of N174,226,610.

The anti-graft agency accused one of the defendants, Archibong to have sometime between January and December 2022, fraudulently took possession of the sum of N58,600,500.00 through his First Bank account number 3055162976 which he knew to be a part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.

EFCC accused the suspect of stealing by conversion, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

Charge two reads: “That you, Glory Enefiok Archibong sometime in 2022, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of N14,090,000.00 through your Zenith Bank account number 2256436893, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.”

All the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Oluwatimileyin Faleye, prayed the Court to fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case against the defendants.

However, the Defence Counsel, Imeh Eduk, and Ndifreke Inyangette, pleaded for a short adjournment to enable them file formal bail applications for the Defendants.

They also made an oral application for the third defendant on the ground that she is a nursing mother.

After listening to both sides, Justice Onyetenu, granted the third Defendant, Glory Archibong, bail in the sum of N30 million, with two sureties in like sum, and landed properties within the jurisdiction of the Court.

For his part, the Court ordered that Akaninyene Archibong and Sylvanus Akpan be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State before adjourning the case to January 27, 2026, for bail hearing and commencement of trial.