Oil marketer’s imprisonment in Saudi shocks colleagues

Man behind bars in prison

Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, in Kwara State, have expressed shock over the report of the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of the Kwara State IPMAN Secretary, Alhaji Muideen Mustapha, in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking.

The Chairman, IPMAN, Ilorin Depot, Alhaji Bolaji Agbolade, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on confirmed the imprisonment of Mustapha.

He added that IPMAN executives and members were shocked at the development.

He said the incident had been reported to the national body of the association.

“It is a sad development. The information is true. We are shocked. We are just waiting for him to come back. That act has dented his image. The incident had been referred to the national body of IPMAN for deliberation and necessary action. IPMAN Constitution is against such practise,” Agboolade said.

Mustapha, who is the Managing Director of Tee Venture Petroleum Station, Ilorin, was said to have been jailed for six months by the government of Saudi Arabia for cocaine trafficking.

He was said to have started serving the jail term since August 2012 after his conviction.

Our correspondent gathered that by the calculation of the authorities in Saudi Prison, his jail term will end in December 2012.

It was further gathered that he had gone on lesser hajj on August with his wife en route Kano.

According to a source, security officials at Saudi Arabia, while checking their luggage, were said to have found substances hidden deep inside yam flour and neatly packaged in his travelling bag.

After he was said to have admitted ownership of the bag and the substance, his wife was allowed to go while he was tried and convicted.

It was further learnt that the authorities of the Saudi Arabia government communicated the development to the leadership of IPMAN in Kwara State.