DSS arrests Ifeanyi Uba over N11b fuel ‘theft’

Ifeanyi Ubah, the chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Limited has been arrested by the Department of State Services.

The agency revealed the arrest yesterday in a statement by spokesman, Tony Opuiyo.

Opuiyo said Ubah was arrested on Friday in connection with the theft of petrol kept by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in his tank farm in Lagos. The product was valued at over N11 billion.


The agency said Ubah’s action amounted to economic sabotage, with “capacity to negatively impact on national economy”.

Opuiyo gave additional reasons for Ubah’s arrest. He said he has further engaged in other activities inimical to national security and public order.

“In furtherance of his gimmicks to undermine the government and people of Nigeria, he has incited members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a critical player in the downstream sub-sector of the Petroleum Industry, to refuse/stop the lifting of products.
“This is part of his plans to curry their sentiments and cause them to embark on strike and also stage protests in his favour with the ulterior motive of arm-twisting the NNPC to abandon the cause of recovering the stolen products. The implications of this on law and order is, in fact, a common knowledge. It is consequent upon this that the Service arrested and will prosecute him forthwith.

The NNPC had on March 17 revealed that about 100 million litres stored at the Capital Oil & Gas depot and over 30 million litres in MRS Limited depot, all in Apapa area of Lagos, were not found when needed.