Court Orders DSS To Produce Ifeanyi Ubah On Friday
The Department of State Service (DSS) has been ordered by Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos On Tuesday to unfailingly produce the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, before him next Friday, May 12, 2017.
The judge gave the order after entertaining an ex parte application from Ubah on what he described as an unlawful detention by the DSS. Specifically, Ubah, through his counsel, Ifeoma Esom, informed Justice Idris that he had been in detention since May 5, 2017.
The lawyer then prayed the judge to direct the DSS to release Ubah so as to prevent the security agency from coercing him to accede to “whatever conditions they impose on him in exchange for his freedom.”
The DSS had maintained that the business mogul is being detained over his alleged involvement in actions that are clearly unfriendly to national security.
Spokesperson of the DSS, Tony Opuiyo, in Abuja had argued that Ubah allegedly stole, diverted and illegally sold petroleum products stored in his tank farm by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
The DSS insisted that the cost of the oil is N11billion.
Opuiyo added that such acts were impacting negatively on the national economy.
The DSS stated: “In line with the statutory mandate of the DSS to investigate economic crimes of national security dimension, the service, on May 5, 2017, arrested Ubah,
“The arrest was sequel to Ubah’s engagement in acts of economic sabotage which include stealing, diversion and illegal sale of petroleum products stored in his tank farm by the NNPC.
“So far, it has been established that the products stolen amounted to over N11billion.
“There is no doubt that Ubah’s acts have the capacity to negatively impact on national economy.”
Meanwhile, Capital Oil and Gas Limited has alleged that the NNPC is indebted to it to the tune of over N16 billion and accused the DSS of attempt to criminalise a commercial dispute between the company and the corporation.
