The Federal Government has kicked against granting bail to an alleged notorious terrorist and oil bunkerer, Ugochukwu Lucky Ibekwe who is standing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly causing the death of over 500 persons and also responsible for economic sabotage to the country through bunkering.
Ibekwe also known as Chief Onwa, was also put on trial by the federal government for allegedly tampering with oil pipelines, siphoning crude oil and running illegal refineries.
He was also accused of committing felony offences by paying N2 million into the UBA Account No. 1006496099 belonging to one Oliver Amadi, a public officer, for the purpose of exonerating him from the alleged offences.
The federal government also accused him of receiving N1 million from one Musa Mohammed for permission to engage in illegal tapping of oil pipeline, and also agreed to receive the sum of N2 million weekly for subsequent operations.
At the proceedings before Justice Salim Ibrahim, the Counsel to the accused person, Damian Okoro SAN, had applied for bail for his client on various grounds.
Among others, Okoro SAN claimed that the accused person is a kidney transplant patient and that prima facie has not been established against him in the terrorism allegation, especially the alleged death of 500 persons.
He therefore pleaded with the court to admit the defendant to bail to enable him attend to his health issues and be prepared for his defense in the charges against him.
The lawyer assured the court that the accused person would not jump bail and would also not tamper with witnesses and evidence if admitted to bail.
The bail application was, however, vehemently opposed by the Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation DPPF Mr Rotimi Oyedepo SAN on various grounds.
Oyedepo SAN, who stood for the federal government, told the Court that charges against the accused person are capital in nature and carry capital punishment ranging from a death sentence to life imprisonment.
The senior lawyer claimed that bail can only be granted in such charges in exceptional circumstances and that the accused person has not established such circumstances.
He dismissed the claim of kidney transplant disease on the grounds that there were no acceptable medical records from the government hospital as required by law.
He drew the attention of the court to the assertion of one Uzoma Randle to the effect that over 500 people have died through oil spillage and crude oil refineries of the accused person in various locations.
The federal government lawyer also raised the issue of the security of the witness who will testify against the accused person during trial, that needed to be well protected.
He therefore pleaded with the judge to refuse the bail application and instead grant an accelerated trial of the accused person.
After taking arguments for and against the bail request, Justice Salim Ibrahim fixed July 1 a ruling and commencement of the trial of the accused person.
The charges against the accused person read, On Count One: That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Adult ot No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime between 1999 to 2025, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired with one MR. TIMI, IGBO, ALOZYE, OBINNA COOK, DOZY, WILFRED, PRINCE ADEBAYO and others (all at large) wherein you operates illegal refining sites, tampered with oi! pipelines, siphoned crude oil, cooked and sale without appreciate licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP. M17 (Revised Edition), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2007 and punishable under Section 1 (17)(a)(b) of the same Act.
COUNT TWO: That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Adult of No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime 1999 to 2025, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State (with others at large), within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly runs an organized criminal network syndicate involved in destroying and tampering with critical national infrastructure such as oil pipelines, operate illegal refining sites without appropriate licence, and caused the dead of over 500 (five Hundred)
parsons due to oil spillage and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section (2) of the Terronicm (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2017
COUNT THREE: That you CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY [BEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Adult of No 10 Nwanom Street, Oyigho, Rivers State, sometme in February, 2025, while at Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, alded and abetted the commission of a felony wherein you induced one Mr. OLIVER AMADI (Public Officer) and paid the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) only into his UBA Account No. 1006496099 e to exonerate you from allegation of illegal dealing in crude oll without licence a and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
COUNT FOUR; That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Maile, Adult of No 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime between 1999 to 2025, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State (with others at large), within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, wilfully tempers with oil pipelines belonging to SHELL, siphoned crude oil and illegally refined same without appropriate licence, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sectlon 1(7)(a)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP. M17 (Revised Edition), Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2007.
COUNT FIVE; That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Adult of No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime in September, 2021, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, alded and abetted the commission of a felony “ wherein you induced one MAJOR SAMUEL OJEAGA (Public Officer) and paid the sum of N300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira) to him through one Jude (Point of Sale operator) with intent to allow members of your syndicates operate without Interference and thereby committed an offence contrary to
section 8 Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act
COUNT SIX: That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Adut of NO 10, Nwanom Street, Oyiqbo, Rivers State, sometime in August, 2023, while at Imo River Community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, within the jurisdiction of ths Honourable Court, without lawful authority, maliciously granted permission to one MUSA MOHAMMED to engage in illegal tapping of oll pipeline after receiving the sum of N1,000,000,00 (One Million Naira) as commission and also agreed to receive the sum N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) weekly for subsequent operation and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1(7)(a)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 (Revised Editon), Laws of the Federation of N’geria, 2007.
COUNT SEVEN; That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Mate, Adult of No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime in 2011, while at No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conceals and disguises the origin of illegal funds made from unauthorized ~ dealing in crude oil by building a hotel named De Bliss Hotel situate at Obeama, Asa, Oyigbo and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 15 (2)(a) & (3) of the Money laundenng (Prohibition) Act. 2011 (As Amended).
COUNT EIGHT: .That you, CHIEF UGOCHUKWU LUCKY IBEKWE (A.K.A CHIEF ONWA), Male, Aduit of No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, sometime in 2023, while at No. 10, Nwanom Street, Oyigbo, Rivers State, within the junsdiction of this Honourable Court, , conceals and disguises the origin of illegal funds made from unauthorized dealing in crude oil by building a hotel named De Bliss hotel situate at Imo Obeama Street and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18(2)(a) & (3) of the Money laundenng (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
