PORT HARCOURT – The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed December 14 and 15, 2026, for the continuation of the trial of three men arrested over alleged illegal dealings in refined petroleum products.
The suspects, Precious Nnedimma, Chukwu Ajunwa Okechukwu and David Nwachukwu, were arrested by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Petroleum Products Theft and Sundry Energy Crimes in collaboration with Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL).
The defendants are standing trial on charges of conspiracy, dealing in petroleum products without a licence and handling adulterated petroleum products.
The matter, marked FHC/PH/290/2025, came up before Justice Patricia I. Ajoku on Wednesday but could not proceed after the defence counsel requested an adjournment.
The court subsequently fixed December 14 and 15 for the continuation of hearing.
Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, expressed confidence in the prosecution’s case, saying it had assembled overwhelming evidence against the defendants.
“The adjournment is at the discretion of the court, but all we want is justice. By the grace of God, justice will be done. With the overwhelming evidence before the court, we are confident of success,” he said.
The three defendants were arrested in August 2025 during a joint operation by the Inter-Agency Task Force and surveillance personnel of PINL, the company responsible for securing the eastern corridor of the Trans Niger Pipeline.
Head of Investigation of the Task Force’s Special Prosecution Team, CSP Sini Omar John, said the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, surveillance and collaboration with members of the host community around a compound located in Umuebule, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
According to him, security operatives deployed drones and surveillance teams after receiving credible intelligence about suspected illegal refining activities at the location.
He said residents also reported unusual movements of trucks and other vehicles into and out of the compound during odd hours.
Following the execution of a court-approved search warrant, the joint security team recovered hundreds of sacks containing suspected petroleum products and impounded six trucks and several other vehicles.
Laboratory analysis later confirmed that the seized products were illegally refined petroleum products.
The prosecution is expected to begin presenting its witnesses and evidence when the trial resumes in December.
