LAGOS, NIGERIA — Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, directors of Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, to 14 years imprisonment each for their role in a ₦2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.
The two oil marketers were re-arraigned on an amended 57-count charge, including conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, forgery, and using false documents. The revised charges followed fresh findings by the prosecution.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the defendants conspired to fraudulently claim ₦749 million and ₦1.48 billion respectively from the Federal Government of Nigeria under the Petroleum Support Fund, by falsely asserting they imported millions of litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from suppliers in the British Virgin Islands.
The claims were found to be entirely fictitious, based on forged shipping documents and nonexistent fuel deliveries through vessels such as MT Overseas Lima, MT Hellenic Blue, and MT Milleura.
Justice Dada found the prosecution’s evidence—led by Seiduh Atteh—to be compelling, ruling that the fraud deeply undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy programme. She also ordered the forfeiture of assets and accounts linked to the fraud.
The court issued arrest warrants for two additional suspects still at large: Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez.
The case, initially overseen by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, was transferred to Justice Dada after his withdrawal. Throughout the trial, the defence denied all charges, but the court ultimately found both men guilty on multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy.
