Fred Ajudua, Nigeria’s infamous socialite turned fraud suspect, has once again slipped through the cracks of the nation’s justice system this time, following a direct order by the Supreme Court for his immediate return to prison.
After decades of evading justice over a $1.43 million scam involving a German company, Ajudua has reportedly absconded, leaving law enforcement authorities in the dust. Sources close to the case confirmed to SaharaReporters that he went into hiding shortly after the apex court overturned his bail and mandated his remand.
“He’s gone,” a confidential source disclosed. “He vanished as soon as the ruling came. Whether he’s still in Nigeria or has jetted out, nobody can say for sure.”
A Pattern of Escape and Exploitation
Fred Ajudua is no stranger to controversy. Once a high-flying businessman and regular face at Lagos social events in the 1990s and early 2000s, he has long been a symbol of the entrenched 419 culture advance-fee fraud fueled by political protection, compromised policing, and a broken judiciary.
What’s most damning is not just the nature of his crimes, but the decades-long manipulation of the legal system that has allowed him to remain free while his case crawled through Nigeria’s sluggish courts.
In 1993, the Palestinian Embassy accused Ajudua of defrauding a businessman, Ziad Abu Zalaf, of $1.43 million using fake documents and forged government receipts. Zalaf was acting on behalf of the German-based Technical International Ltd.
Despite compelling evidence including falsified Central Bank of Nigeria and NNPC receipts Ajudua has managed to delay, deflect, and distort legal processes for more than 30 years. Every time the case resurfaces, he either cites “medical issues” or leverages judicial loopholes to walk free.
Judicial Acrobatics and a Culture of Compromise
Initially arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a 12-count charge alongside an accomplice, Joseph Ochunor, Ajudua’s reappearance in court has become a seasonal performance. He filed for bail in 2018 citing poor health only for Justice Mojisola Dada to reject the plea, noting the long-standing abuse of the system.
But the real twist came when the Court of Appeal, under Justice Mohammed Garba, reversed that decision and granted bail, allowing Ajudua to roam freely under flimsy conditions. Many believe this wasn’t just bad judgment it was a calculated move enabled by influence-peddling and high-level compromise.
The EFCC, perhaps realizing the game being played, took the matter to the Supreme Court, which delivered a scathing verdict. In Appeal SC/CR/51/2019, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme declared that the appeal court’s decision was legally void, stating that the appellate judges acted without jurisdiction after earlier striking out Ajudua’s argument for incompetence.
In plain terms, the bail granted to Ajudua was unconstitutional and corrupt.
Justice Denied Again
So what happened after Nigeria’s highest court demanded accountability?
Ajudua disappeared. Again.
Despite an order for his remand and a clear declaration of legal invalidity surrounding his previous bail, no arrest was made. No enforcement occurred. No statement was issued by the police or the Nigerian Correctional Service. Calls and messages to Umar Abubakar, NCoS spokesperson, went unanswered yet another chapter in the book of selective justice.
This is not just an individual escaping justice it’s an indictment of the entire Nigerian legal and enforcement ecosystem. The question on everyone’s mind: How does a man facing international fraud allegations and a Supreme Court remand order simply disappear in broad daylight?
The Untouchable Class
Fred Ajudua represents the worst of Nigeria’s elite those who commit crimes on an international scale, yet flaunt the law with luxury cars, political connections, and courtroom theatrics. He is a relic of the 1990s scam era, but his continued freedom is a modern scandal, proving that in Nigeria, justice is often optional if your pockets are deep enough.
“This man has used every trick in the book to dodge accountability from fake illnesses to legal technicalities,” a legal analyst stated. “And each time, the courts or enforcement bodies look the other way. It’s institutional corruption at its finest.”
A Nation Watching, A System Crumbling
Fred Ajudua’s vanishing act is not just a story of fraud; it’s a warning sign. If Nigeria’s most powerful court cannot ensure that its rulings are enforced, what hope is there for ordinary citizens seeking justice?
Until the system stops serving the rich and starts upholding the law, criminals in designer suits will continue to mock the very foundation of our democracy.
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