Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three foreigners before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged theft of over 13 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), valued at about N12 billion, belonging to NNPC Retail Limited.

The defendants, Captain Raymundo A. Panaligam, Chief Officer Roneno Villarin, and Mr Vincent Wayas, were arraigned, yesterday, alongside a vessel, MT Ostria, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

Panaligam and Villarin were reportedly officials of the vessel, while Wayas is an employee of GMO, an inspection firm representing NNPC.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired to steal 13,354,000 litres of PMS, contrary to Sections 411 and 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and punishable under Section 287 of the same law.

The EFCC also alleged that on or about January 17, 2024, the defendants “dishonestly took nine million litres of PMS, property of NNPC Retail Limited.”

Besides, a separate count further accused them of stealing an additional three million litres of the same product.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following their plea, EFCC counsel Bilikisu Buhari prayed the court to remand the defendants in a correctional facility pending their trial, stating that they posed a flight risk and had nothing to lose if they absconded.

She also urged the court to deny them bail and set a trial date.

However, the defence counsel informed the court that formal bail applications had already been filed and requested that the defendants be allowed to remain on the administrative bail previously granted by the EFCC, noting that they had complied fully with the conditions.

Justice Dada granted the request, allowing the defendants to continue on the existing EFCC bail terms, and adjourned the case to November 17 and 27, 2025, for the commencement of the trial.