Thirteen individuals, including an Indian national, were arraigned on Tuesday before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the alleged diversion of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), commonly known as diesel, valued at over ₦4 billion.
The suspects, comprising staff of Dangote Industries Limited and representatives of third-party logistics companies, are accused of colluding to systematically siphon off millions of litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) between 2022 and 2023 an operation allegedly masked as routine fuel deliveries to Dangote’s industrial plants.
The case, which is unfolding at the Federal High Court in Lagos, has exposed potential weaknesses in corporate oversight and accountability within Nigeria’s critical energy logistics sector.
Among the accused is Tukur Shamsudden, an Indian national charged with orchestrating part of the operation through three logistics firms Regal Gate Ltd, Alkham Limited, and Prestige Limited all of which were contracted by Dangote Industries. Prosecutors allege he illegally diverted over 1.5 million litres of AGO, worth more than ₦1.5 billion, under the guise of contracted haulage services.
Another key suspect, Omojowo Emmanuel, identified as the Managing Director of Opetrus Global Ltd, is believed to have diverted an additional 2.45 million litres, valued at ₦2.45 billion, just days before the end of 2023.
“These individuals were trusted to move fuel from depots to refinery plants. Instead, they orchestrated a diversion scheme of significant scale,” said prosecutor M.Y. Bello, speaking during the re-arraignment of all 13 suspects following an amended charge sheet.
Five of the accused including logistics staff within Dangote Petroleum Industries Ltd allegedly used their employment status to facilitate the illicit operations without detection for nearly two years.
The offences, Bello said, contravene Sections 21(a) and 18(2)(d) of Nigeria’s Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under several provisions of both the Criminal Code Act and the Money Laundering Act.
All defendants pleaded not guilty, and the court adjourned the matter until 22 and 23 July 2025 for trial.
Fuel theft is not uncommon in Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, but the scale and sophistication alleged in this case, involving senior figures within private companies have drawn particular attention.
Analysts say the scandal highlights long-standing regulatory blind spots in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, especially concerning private logistics partnerships and fuel monitoring.
“This is not just a case of theft. It’s a failure of internal control within one of Africa’s biggest conglomerates,” said an industry analyst who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the case. “There are systemic implications here for trust in private-sector fuel management.”
Dangote Industries has yet to release a public statement on the arraignment or the involvement of its staff, and it remains unclear what internal actions have been taken.
