Police bust $4m oil fraud syndicate, arrest key suspects

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have apprehended key members of an organised crime syndicate accused of defrauding international oil trading firms of over $4 million.

The syndicate, allegedly led by Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited, Eagle Capital Management, and Richrice International Corporation, operated across Nigeria, China, and the United States.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspects were arrested between January 4 and January 31, 2025.

He stated that operatives arrested one David Udensik, also known as Dr. Jacob Bello for allegedly forging documents from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and using them to scam oil traders to the tune of $610,000

Adejobi said, “The NPF-NCCC has successfully apprehended key members of an organized crime syndicate involved in a $4 million fraud targeting international oil trading firms. The syndicate, allegedly led by Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited, Eagle Capital Management, and Richrice International Corporation, operates across Nigeria, China, and the United States, specializing in high-level fraud schemes within the global oil and gas industry.

“On January 4, 2024, detectives arrested one (Dr.) David Emmanuel Udensik, also known as Dr. Jacob Bello, a Nigerian national from Akwa Ibom State. Udensik is accused of generating fraudulent intelligence reports, forging documents from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and misusing these documents to scam oil traders, resulting in fraudulent proceeds of $610,000.”

Following a year-long investigation, Adejobi said police also arrested Engr. Isaac Jerome Oyakhilome, Managing Director/CEO of Marine Gold Oil Refineries Limited and a director at Richrice International Corporation.

He added, “Oyakhilome was responsible for preparing and signing fraudulent sales agreements for crude oil with NNPCL, facilitating a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that netted $1,151,495 for his company, which has no known physical address.

“In the course of these arrests, officials recovered several exhibits, including ₦55,000,000 (approximately $33,428.57), assets valued at ₦370,000,000, multiple electronic devices, and a Toyota Camry vehicle, as the suspects have reportedly confessed to their roles in the criminal operation.”