The Department of State Security, DSS on Tuesday said that the decision of Mr. Ifeany Uba, the Managing Director of Capital Oil Ltd to divert eleven million liters of premium motor spirit left in the tank farm of capital oil by Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, worth about N11bn was capable of plunging the country into economic crisis.
This the agency said the action amounts to economic sabotage and is, therefore, punishable by death.
The DSS position was contained in a counter-affidavit and written submissions filed by the DSS in opposition to an application by Ubah, asking a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jabi, Abuja to set aside an order for his detention for 14 days.
Justice Yusuf Halilu had granted the order to the DSS on May 10, 2017, allowing the agency to keep the suspect in custody for 14 days pending the completion of an ongoing criminal investigation against him.
Mr. G. Agbadua, Counsel to DSS argued before Justice Halilu on Tuesday that Ubah was plotting to plunge the nation into economic and social crisis by creating artificial scarcity of petroleum product.
The DSS’ counter-affidavit deposed to by one of the agency’s operative, Mr. Safwan Bello, stated, “The respondent (Ubah) was arrested on reasonable suspicion of his involvement in the commission of a crime.
He converted PMS belonging to the NNPC kept in the custody of his tank farm to his personal use.
“The respondent refused to return the PMS to NNPC after repeated demands. The PMS is worth over N11bn. The action of the respondent is affecting the distribution of petroleum products to the populace.
“The action of the respondent is sabotage of NNPC’s activities as it relates to distribution of petroleum products. If not for the urgent steps taken by the Federal Government, the action of the respondent would have plunged the country into widespread scarcity with its attendant effect on the economy. “