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Alleged $1.43m Fraud: EFCC Kicks As Ajudua Approaches Trial Court For Bail Again
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Lagos businessman and alleged fraudster, Fred Ajudua, has again approached the Special Offences Division of the State High Court in Ikeja to request for bail.
Ajudua who came to court on Friday in a white native attire and holding a walking stick told the court through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), that he had filed a notice of withdrawal of his application seeking certain reliefs at the Supreme Court to pave way for the high court to rule on the bail application.
“We decided to withdraw the motion we filed at the Supreme Court to allow this Honourable Court to deliver its ruling on the bail application,” Ojo said.
The defense counsel also submitted an affidavit and a copy of the notice of withdrawal to the court.
Ojo noted that although his client is battling chronic kidney disease and severe hypertension, he insisted on appearing in court to comply with his legal undertakings. He urged the court to proceed with its ruling on the bail application,
Again, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) opposed the move. The prosecuting counsel, Seidu Atteh, told Justice Mojisola Dada that Ajudua’s application at the Supreme Court remains on the cause list and there was a a need to await the pronouncement of that court on the withdrawal.
Atteh said, “The defendant will need to produce the order of the Supreme Court either dismissing or striking out the notice of withdrawal. We urge the trial court to await the decision of the Supreme Court.”
In her ruling, Justice Dada agreed with the prosecution.
“This court being a court of record must be satisfied that the notice of withdrawal is before the Supreme Court and same must be considered with the outcome filed in this court…,” the jude said.
Following the bail arguments, the court proceeded with the trial. The third prosecution witness, Afanda Bashir Emmanuel, an investigator with the EFCC was cross-examined by the defence counsel.
During cross-examination, Afanda testified that he joined the EFCC in 2009 and met Ajudua shortly after the defendant’s case file was transferred from the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Fraud Unit to the EFCC’s Advance Fee Fraud Section.
According to the witness, the EFCC in the course of its investigations into the matter, reached out to multiple institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and even the Commission’s forensic lab.
The witness also confirmed interviewing the nominal complainant, Zad Abu Zalaf, and another individual, Michel Opkema. He said he visited Ajudua at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison and had documented proof of the visit. He added that the statements Ajudua gave to the police formed part of the EFCC’s investigation report.
The witness, however, noted that the EFFC did not take any statements from the defendant on the issue.
Cross-examination was halted shortly after the defendant took a toilet break. On his return, he complained to his counsel, that he had noticed blood coming out his body while he tried to use the restroom. The defense counsel subsequently sought for an adjournment to enable his client attend to his health.
Ajudua is currently facing trial for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian national, Zad Abu Zalaf, of $1,043,000 under false pretenses.
The case has now been adjourned to October 31, 2025, for continuation of cross examination.
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BEWARE: FG warns 26 States of flood, places, Bayelsa, Delta, Lagos, Adamawa, Benue, others as critical risk areas
The Federal Government has alerted residents of 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the possibility of flooding between June 22 and July 5, 2026, following forecasts of heavy rainfall in different parts of the country.
The warning was issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment through the National Flood Early Warning Centre under its Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department.
The ministry said several communities across the country have been identified as areas that could face serious flood threats during the period.
According to the forecast released on June 22, heavy rainfall is expected in many locations, raising concerns about possible flooding in vulnerable communities.
States placed under the critical-risk category include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Rivers.
In Abia State, the affected communities include Aba, Arochukwu and Umuahia. In Adamawa, the ministry listed Jimeta and Numan, while Eket, Oron and Uyo were named in Akwa Ibom. In Anambra, Onitsha Inland Town and Awka Urban Drainage Corridors were identified as vulnerable locations.
Bayelsa communities such as Yenagoa, Brass and Nembe Town were also listed among areas that could be affected by flooding.
Other locations mentioned include Makurdi, Gboko and Katsina-Ala in Benue State; Calabar Metropolis and Creek Town in Cross River State; Asaba, Warri and Sapele in Delta State; and Abakaliki, Afikpo and Onueke in Ebonyi State.
The ministry also identified Benin City Urban Core and Auchi in Edo State, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti in Ekiti State, as well as Enugu, Nsukka and Oji River Town in Enugu State.
In Imo State, Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe were listed, while Lokoja and Ajaokuta were named in Kogi State. Communities such as Ilorin, Jebba and Pategi in Kwara State were also included in the warning.
Several parts of Lagos State were equally listed among the areas at risk.
These include Agege, Alimosho, Apapa, Badagry, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Lekki and Surulere.
In Niger State, Bida, Minna, Mokwa, Suleja and Kontagora were identified, while Abeokuta, Ota and Sagamu were listed in Ogun State.
The flood alert further covered Akure, Owo and Okitipupa in Ondo State; Oshogbo, Ile-Ife and Ilesa in Osun State; Ibadan, Ogbomoso and Oyo in Oyo State; as well as Port Harcourt Urban Core, Bonny, Ahoada and Omoku in Rivers State.
Apart from the states under the critical-risk category, the ministry also placed parts of Adamawa, the FCT, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states under a high-risk category.
Communities listed in this group include Yola North, Yola South, Mubi and Gurin in Adamawa State; Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada, Kubwa, Nyanya and Wuse in the FCT; Birnin Kebbi and Argungu in Kebbi State; Bako in Kogi State; and Keffi, Lafia, Karu and Toto in Nasarawa State.
The warning also covered Jos and Jos North in Plateau State, as well as Jalingo, Wukari, Takum, Serti and Karim Lamido in Taraba State.
Finally, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed suspended an electoral officer allegedly involved in the voter data leak concerning Nollywood actor and politician, Emeka Ike.
The Commission disclosed that investigations by security agencies and data protection regulators are still ongoing.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, made the disclosure during a fireside chat organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa, PAACA, in Abuja.
The suspension came against the backdrop of a controversy that arose after the voter registration details of actor and politician, Emeka Ike, surfaced online during a dispute linked to a political party primary election in the Federal Capital Territory.
The electoral body said preliminary findings showed there was no external breach of its ICT infrastructure or compromise of its voter register.
Rather, according to the Commission, the data was allegedly accessed using valid credentials assigned to officials involved in the ongoing CVR exercise and subsequently disclosed without authorisation.
INEC said its audit trail enabled investigators to identify the specific user account used to access the voter record, leading to the questioning of personnel with access to the system.
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