Oil Workers Arraigned Over Death Of Nine Ondo Residents, Lawyer kicks

Three workers of an oil company have been arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, for allegedly causing the death of nine persons in the Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

The trio — Anthony Nwuba, Orofin Pius Yomi, and Patrick Aganyebi — who were said to be workers of the Shebah Exploration & Production Company Limited, were arrested by the state police command for allegedly setting the deceased ablaze through illegal oil bunkering activities.

They were charged with murder, arson, malicious damage, and destruction of property through illegal bunkering activities.

They were also charged with causing an explosion that set ablaze Sheba’s vessel, valued at N41.6bn.

The police prosecutor, Adeoye Adesegun, told the court that the offences were against sections 324, 319 (9) and 443 (b) of the Criminal Code Cap. 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria.

He prayed the court to remand the defendants in prison pending legal advice from the state Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The counsel for the defendants, Mr Benson Enikuomehin, said it was callous on the part of the police to charge the workers with murder when they (defendants) escaped death by a whisker after the vessel they were working on exploded on the sea.

He wondered why the charge of murder, arson, and malicious damage would be brought against those who were supposed to be in a hospital recuperating.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Olanipekun Mayumi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2m each with a surety in like sum.

He ordered that the case file be sent to the DPP for legal advice and adjourned the case till July 13, 2022, for mention.