Few hours after the federal high court Lagos, gave the Department of State Services, DSS, a 48-hour ultimatum to release the detained Chairman of Capital oil and Gas limited, Ifeanyi Ubah, the Abuja division of the same court has empowered the same DSS to detain Ubah for another 14 days.

Justice Yusuf Halilu granted an ex-parte application filed by the DSS through its lawyer, G.O.A. Agbadua, extending Ubah’s detention by another 14 days after the initial order granted on May 10 expired on Wednesday, May 24.

Agbadua told the court investigations into Ubah’s criminal offences were yet to be concluded hence the need for the detention order to be extended.

He said the new motion ex-parte was brought pursuant to section 296(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA.

According to him, the investigation into Ubah’s matter “took on a wider dimension”.

Ubah, a former Anambra State governorship candidate, is accused of “economic sabotage”, having allegedly diverted N11 billion worth of petroleum products belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, which was stored in his company’s facility in Lagos.

The DSS also said Ubah had incited some workers in the petroleum sector to embark on industrial action in order to deliberately bring the Nation’s economy to its knees.

But Ubah, through his lawyer, Ifeoma Esom, denied the allegations, saying that it was the NNPC that is indebted to Capital oil to the tune of N13 billion.

She further noted that there was a contract agreement between the NNPC and Capital oil before the Petroleum products were stored at the latter’s facility, adding that even if there was a diversion as the DSS claims, it only amounted to a breach of contract and not a criminal offence.