Nigeria Police Force has arrested and detained a suspected serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for land fraud and forgery.
SaharaReporters learnt from police sources on Friday that Ajudua had been arrested and detained in Abuja “for three days now”.
“The lawyer is known as one of the pioneers of advance fee fraud “419” who reportedly scammed several people in his own state, Delta. He’s been arrested and detained in Abuja for three days now,” one of the sources said.
SaharaReporters exclusively reported in 2022 how Ajudua, who was undergoing trial for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of $8.4million, was exposed in leaked phone calls fraternising with police authorities and some top magistrates.
SaharaReporters had obtained call recordings confirming how Ajudua confessed that he had an armoury of over 30 AK-47 rifles and other weapons.
He also confessed that he had gunmen that he used for any purpose, from self-defence to assassination.
Ajudua also alleged that he bribed the then-Delta State Commissioner of Police with N3million to release one AK-47 they seized from one of his men, Odafe Chime, who was arrested in a communal war with Ibusa.
Further in the leaked calls, Ajudua had a phone conversation with Justice Onome Umukoro whom he reportedly influenced to remand Mr Larry Onyezie’ and Emmanuel Halim in the Ogwashi Uku correctional facility.
Ajudua as far back as October 2003 was linked to 12 fraud cases including an advance fee fraud of 1.6 million Euros and another of $1.5million, both committed in 2001.
He was accused of collecting money from Nelson Allen, a Canadian, who lost $250,000.
A German was said to have lost $350,000 to him.
He was said to have defrauded two Dutch nationals of more than $1.69million between 1999 and 2000.
On July 26, 2005, German woman, Frieda Springer-Beck, agreed to an out-of-court settlement after a series of inconclusive court appearances dating back to 1993.
“Fred Ajudua confessed in the audio that he had over 30 AK-47 rifles and other weapons. He confessed to have planted the pump-action gun which he used in a trumped-up charge against one Evangelist Emma Chime to send him to correctional centre,” a top source who shared the audios with SaharaReporters revealed.
“This audio was recorded when Ajudua, his hit men and police headed by AIG Shola were relating together.
“One of Fred Ajudua’s hit men, Azikiwe Nwabuwa, made this call to Pastor Jude Adiefe; hence we recorded it. He also confessed that he bribed the Delta CP N3million to release one AK-47 they seized from One Odafe Chime who was arrested in a communal war with Ibusa.
“Another audio was his phone discussion with Justice Onome Umukoro whom Ajudua paid to remand Mr Larry Onyezie’ and Emmanuel Halim to Ogwashi Uku Correctional facility despite having obtained an order of ceteriori from Hon. Justice M. I. Imovie’s court.
“The order quashed the proceeding of Ibusa Magistrate Court in charge number MIB/29/2020 and charge number MIB/29c/2020 with CN Ugeh as the presiding magistrate. C N Ugeh is one of Ajudua’s hirelings that does hatchet job for him (a judicial butcher).
“Investigations on their call log will speak volumes of their relationship. Every attempt to ask CN Ugeh to recuse himself from matters involving Fred Ajudua is always met with resistance and hostility.
“Ajudua uses his wife, Pat Ajudua, who is a member of Delta State House of Assembly, to influence the Chief Judge not to accede to request of transfer of cases out CN Ugeh’s court if petitions are written against him.
“Example of such cases are; MIB/11C/2021 and MIB/65C/2021 all pending trial at Chief Magistrate Court 1, Ibusa where C.N Ugeh presides.
“It’s a case involving Ajudua against Michael Nwabuoku and Emmanuel Chime. This letter to the Chief Judge was promptly acted on but the CJ gave counter directive when Ajudua and Princess Pat Ajudua visited her. The CJ of Delta State is Theresa Diei,” the source said.
The most recent of Ajudua’s fraud trial was in December 2021 when a Lagos High Court ordered him to undergo a COVID-19 test at the laboratory of the Yaba Infectious Diseases Centre.
Justice Josephine Oyefeso gave the order following Ajudua’s failure to appear in court for his trial three consecutive times.
The defendant had cited the contraction of Coronavirus for his absence.
In a ruling, Mrs Oyefeso had said that in order to verify Ajudua’s claim, he must be tested in the presence of the representatives of both prosecution and defence.
She added that the result must be communicated to the court within 48 hours.
Earlier, defence counsel, Akinwale Kola-Taiwo representing the law chambers of Olalekan Ojo (SAN), told the court that though Ajudua was in the court premises, he should not be mandated to enter the courtroom because he had tested positive for COVID-19.
