Oil And Gas Big Boy, Abu Ali Jibia’s Travails

The tale of Abu Ali Jibia,  one of the top players in the nation’s oil and gas industry,  is one that can be likened to a narrative with a gripping beginning but a sad end.

Until his current travail,  the stupendously rich businessman commanded a lot of respect and his popularity literally  soared as far as neighbouring countries.  Those close to him hinted that he is a spendthrift.

But little did many who idolise him know that his ways were allegedly crooked. For him,  the journey on this road of infamy  began in October 2013, when the winds blew and the buttocks of the hen was exposed. That was when the Economic and Financial Crimes  Commission, EFCC,  picked him up alongside 10 others for  alleged illegal bunkering.

Spy Glass gathered that  Jibia was subsequently arraigned  before Justice Mojisola  Olatoregun of the Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos,  on a five- count charge  bordering on conspiracy,  unlawful dealing in Automated Gas Oil,  AGO, popularly called diesel,  and unlawful distribution of adulterated petroleum products,  among others.

Jibia  and his cohorts had sometime in May,  2013 allegedly stored and distributed two barges and two petrol tanker trucks filled with  adulterated diesel.

Consequently, his company, vessel MT Swordfish,  which is said to worth several millions of dollars, was seized by the  anti-graft  agency.

A source disclosed to Spy Glass that Jibia initially did not appreciate the enormity of the criminal charges against him,  believing that some of his godfathers would  get him off the hook. But he seems to be on his own now,  as all the said godfathers themselves are enmeshed in some troubles owing to the clampdown on perpetrators of illicit oil deal by the current administration of President Muhammed Buhari.

In view of this, only time will tell if the one-time big boy,  who is said to be running from pillar to post,  willescape the wrath of the law or not