Subsidy fraud: ‘Tukur, Alao sons discussing with EFCC’

Two oil marketers, Mahmud Tukur and Abdullahi Alao on Tuesday informed the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, that they were in discussion with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, regarding the charges preferred against them.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Tukur and Alao were charged to court for an alleged N1.8 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

The defendants are sons of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and prominent businessman, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola-Alao, respectively.

They were arraigned alongside Ochonogor Alex and Eternal Oil and Gas Plc before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty and were each granted bail in the sum of N20 million.

At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, the defence counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun and Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (both Senior Advocates of Nigeria), hinted the court of the talks between the parties.

Olanipekun said:”We have studied the processes filed by the prosecution.

“We as senior counsel, owe it as a duty to our clients to enter into discussion with the prosecution regarding the charge.

“That is why we did not challenge the charge when it was filed.

“We are, therefore, asking the court to give us more time to engage in this discussion, so that the matter can be speedily resolved.”

EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) also confirmed that both parties were talking.

The judge acceded to their request and adjourned the matter to December 15 for mention.

I am sick of this mess. What kind of talk are you all talking about. I am not happy about the role of EFCC Counsel. If you have a case to prove, why talking? If the big-boys are guilty from your records, go ahead and let the court do the necessary thing and if you cant find anything wrong , let the boys go home and enjoy their wealth. Some of us will start stop our support for EFCC and join the the bloc calling to total scrapping of the agency. I think i will soon reconsider my support for the Nigeria police. EFCC , Please do the right thing

Nathan B

Let all thieves in this country avail themselves of this new way of dispensing criminal justice in Nigeria so that we know that the law is not discriminatory! Up Nigeria!

Olanipekun (SAN) is a man i had utmost respect for as an upright and a foremost lawyer am fast losing that respect, how can he be defending people like this, they deserve their day in court truly but for people like GANI, people like this Olanipekun should be blacklisted by the masses, he shouldn’t have a brainwave and start campaigning for office tomorrow claiming he wants to ‘serve’

CJ

So criminals in this country now negotiates with the law, This is really really interesting, its obvious that Nigeria is heading nowhere with this film tricks, I think Ifeanyi Uba was right when he said that some people somewhere are giving preferential judgement because they have people in high places, now we have all seen it, instead of EFCC to go ahead and prosecute these thieves, they are now having talks with them.
Federal Government is also having talks with Boko Haram, People caught at the airport with excess unexplained cash now have talks with the law enforcements agents,
Naija is heading nowhere, Period.

Moses Ilorin Gurama

Nigerians are gradually turned into fools.
It is rather unfortunate and a pity for the citizens of this country. Nigerians suffered the cross of buying fuel at a high price, all in the name of subsidy removal on the commodity, just for us to wake up one day and start hearing speculations about subsidy fraud, indeed, it holds water.
Now, yet another drama is taking place. They never cease to amase me. Beyond any reasonable doubt, Mahmud Tukur and Alao will go unpunished. Tell me, who can do anything to the son of PDP chairman??
They are only draging the issue unnecessarily. Hmmm, even the powerless and floating figure president is under Bamanga Tukurs control. What a tragedy.
Revolution is the solution, just like Ghana.

Moses Ilorin Gurama

Nigerians are gradually turned into fools.
It is rather unfortunate and a pity for the citizens of this country. Nigerians suffered the cross of buying fuel at a high price, all in the name of subsidy removal on the commodity, just for us to wake up one day and start hearing speculations about subsidy fraud, indeed, it holds water.
Now, yet another drama is taking place. They never cease to amase me. Beyond any reasonable doubt, Mahmud Tukur and Alao will go unpunished. Tell me, who can do anything to the son of PDP chairman??
They are only draging the issue unnecessarily. Hmmm, even the powerless and floating figure president is under Bamanga Tukurs control. What a tragedy.
Revolution is the solution, just like Ghana.

ken

Wow! They are in a talk with EFCC! The acknowledgement of the fact that some people are above the law. Goodluck, we are waiting. The Jerry Rawlings of Ghana option is the only recipe to Nigerian corruption.

Kay

As OBJ said, pple are being push to the wall. the only solution to this country problem is revolution.

Olugeorge

REVOLUTION! REVOLUTION!! REVOLUTION!!! is very near by and none of them will be speared….