A 63-year-old tank fabricator has found himself behind bars after allegedly swindling N9.3 million from the Managing Director of F&I Oil and Gas Limited, an oil executive seeking an underground cooking gas tank. The suspect, apprehended by operatives of Zone 2 Command in Lagos, now faces the consequences of a scheme that unraveled over a year of deceit. His arrest marks a rare moment of accountability in a saga that began with a broken promise on November 28, 2023, at Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos.
The executive had contracted the fabricator to build the tank, transferring the hefty sum as payment. But instead of delivering, the accused pocketed the cash, vanished, and went dark—switching off his phones and severing all ties. For over a year, the project stalled, leaving the oil boss with nothing but frustration. Fed up, he turned to the authorities, lodging a petition with the Assistant Inspector General of Police overseeing Zone 2, who tasked ASP Francis Achua with the investigation. The probe swiftly led to the fabricator’s arrest, pulling him out of hiding and into the spotlight of justice.
Arraigned before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, now sitting at Tinubu, the suspect faced charges of obtaining money under false pretences and theft. Prosecuting Counsel DSP Francis Igbinosa laid out the case, accusing the fabricator of violating Sections 314 and 287 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015—statutes designed to punish such deceitful acts. The courtroom drama unfolded with the accused entering a not guilty plea, a defiant stance met with a measured response from Chief Magistrate O.O. Olatunji. Bail was set at N2 million, requiring two sureties to match the sum, but with conditions unmet, the fabricator was remanded to the Ikoyi Correctional Facility. The case now stretches into the future, adjourned to April 3, 2025, for further proceedings.
This incident shines a harsh light on the perils of trust in business dealings, particularly in Nigeria’s bustling commercial hubs like Lagos. The oil executive’s ordeal—waiting over a year for a tank that never materialized—echoes a broader narrative of failed contracts and elusive accountability. While the arrest offers a glimmer of hope, the fabricator’s detention pending bail underscores the slow grind of justice. For now, he sits in Ikoyi, a cautionary tale of how greed can turn a craftsman into a captive, leaving his victim to count the cost of a N9.3 million lesson in vigilance. As the court date looms, the question lingers: will this be a reckoning, or just another delay in a system strained by such tales.
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