Indian National, 12 Others Arraigned for Alleged ₦4 Billion Diesel Diversion from Dangote

An Indian citizen, Tukur Shamsudden, alongside twelve others, faced arraignment before Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday. The defendants, including Dangote Industries Limited staff and contracted logistics personnel, are accused of conspiring to divert over ₦4 billion worth of diesel belonging to the company .

Prosecutors allege the offense occurred between January 2022 and December 2023. Mr Tukur Shamsudden, representing companies such as Regal Gate Ltd, Alkham Ltd, and Prestige Ltd, is charged with unlawfully diverting approximately 1,530,893 liters of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), valued at around ₦1.53 billion. Meanwhile, Omojowo Emmanuel, managing director of Opetrus Global Ltd, is accused of diverting about 2,455,229 liters—worth approximately ₦2.45 billion .

The group faces a total of 16 counts, including conspiracy, unlawful diversion of AGO, and receiving proceeds from the allegedly diverted diesel. These charges fall under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and provisions of the Nigerian Criminal Code . All defendants entered pleas of not guilty, with some already granted bail under varying conditions .

Justice Dipeolu adjourned the trial to July 22 and 23, 2025, allowing the prosecution to present its case. As proceedings loom, the high-profile nature of the accused—comprising both a foreign national and employees of Africa’s largest refinery—underscores growing concerns about fuel theft, refinery diversions, and white‑collar criminal conduct within Nigeria’s oil sector.

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