LAGOS, NIGERIA – The Federal High Court in Lagos has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Emmanuel Oku, a staff member of Dangote Industries Limited, after he failed to appear in court for his trial. Oku is accused of defrauding the company of ₦739 million in a case involving a massive fraud scheme.
The arrest warrant was issued on January 19, 2025, by Justice Deinde Dipeolu following the prosecution’s application, which argued that Oku had evaded justice despite being granted bail. Barrister M.Y. Bello, the prosecuting counsel, argued that Oku’s absence was stalling the trial.
Oku is one of 11 defendants charged in the case by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, for their roles in a fraud scheme that allegedly diverted Automotive Gasoline Oil (AGO) meant for Dangote Industries. Between January 2022 and June 2023, the group is believed to have defrauded the company of approximately ₦19 billion.
Other defendants in the case include Ikechukwu Kingsley Obit, Chigozie Chrisogonus Osukwu, Ukaegbu Rex Chukwuma, and several others, who are accused of conspiring to defraud the company. The defendants allegedly received illicit payments from transporters contracted by Dangote Industries, with amounts ranging from ₦10 million to ₦305 million. These funds were deposited into personal bank accounts and were reportedly proceeds of crime.
The case has been adjourned to February 25 and 27, 2025, for the arraignment and the continuation of the trial. The absence of Oku and other defendants has delayed the re-arraignment proceedings, but the court has made it clear that the trial will move forward. The bench warrant is now in place to ensure that Oku faces the charges against him.
