Lagos Court Convicts Top Oil Marketers Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor In N2.2 bn Subsidy Fraud

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, convicted and sentenced two oil marketers, Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, to 14 years imprisonment each for a N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud.

The duo were re-arraigned alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on an amended 57-count charge following fresh findings in the ongoing probe.

They had initially been arraigned on a 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, forgery, and use of false documents.

One of the charges reads:

“Nasaman Oil Services Ltd, Mamman Nasir Ali, Christian Taylor, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo (now at large), and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez (still at large), on or about the 9th day of November 2011, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, conspired with intent to defraud to obtain N749,991,273.36 from the Federal Government of Nigeria. They falsely claimed the amount was subsidy due to Nasaman Oil Services Ltd under the Petroleum Support Fund for importing 10,031,986 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), allegedly purchased from SEATAC Petroleum Ltd of the British Virgin Islands and brought into Nigeria through MT Liquid Fortune Ltd Ex MT Overseas Lima—knowing the claim to be false.”

Another count accused them of obtaining N1,480,074,125.61 on April 11, 2011, through a similar false claim involving 20,492,982.50 litres of PMS.

Although they pleaded not guilty to all charges, the prosecution, led by Seiduh Atteh, presented compelling evidence, including documents and witness testimonies, to prove the fraud.

The case was initially before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, who later withdrew, prompting a reassignment to Justice Dada.

In her ruling, Justice Dada held that the evidence clearly showed that the defendants defrauded the government and undermined the credibility of Nigeria’s oil subsidy programme.

She sentenced both Ali and Taylor to 14 years imprisonment each and ordered the forfeiture of assets and accounts linked to the fraud.

Justice Dada also issued arrest warrants for Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul-Afeez, who remain at large.

The conviction marks the end of a case that began when the defendants were arrested for falsely claiming over N1.48 billion in oil subsidy from the government under the pretense of importing fuel.