How Nigeria’s Biggest Fraudster, Fred Ajudua Duped Bamaiyi Of Billions Of Naira From Prison

Fred Ajudua’s name got into public domain many years back, first as a big pocket socialite and later as a big time fraudster, who has perfected the act of duping his victims of millions of naira. The Delta State-born trained lawyer has no barrier, when it comes to coning his victims, and it got to many people as a surprise that Ajudua could take his trade to the four walls of the prison, where he had been remanded for duping people of their hard earned money He was alleged to have duped a senior military officer with whom he was in the prison for committing offences against the state. Last week, Ajudua was ordered remanded in Kirikiri Prison for allegedly defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (retd.), of about $8.395m (about N1.3 billion). Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye ordered on Wednesday that he should be remanded in prisons custody following a fresh 13-count charge of fraud brought against him by EFCC. The EFCC in the fresh charges dated 14 October, 2013, alleged that Ajudua, along with others still at large, defrauded Gen. Bamaiyi of $8.387m between November 2004 and June 2005 while in prison. Ajudua is the only defendant in the fresh charges as others who allegedly committed the offences along with him are said to be at large. Other suspects said to be on the run, are Alumile Adedeji (a.k.a Ade Bendel), Mr. Kenneth and Princess Hamabon William. Ajudua, along with other suspects, were said to have defrauded Bamaiyi at the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, where he and the other fraud suspects were on remand for various crimes. EFCC claimed that the suspects had fraudulently collected the money from Bamaiyi instalmentally, falsely claiming that the payments represented the professional fees charged by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to handle Bamaiyi’s case in court and to facilitate his release from prison. The anti-graft agency also alleged that Ajudua and others fraudulently claimed that $1m out of the total money collected from Bamaiyi was for financial assistance for the treatment of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole’s father. Justice Oyewole was then presiding over Bamaiyi’s case in court. The suspects were said to have told Bamaiyi that Oyewole’s father was admitted at Saint Nicholas Hospital in Lagos and the $1m was meant to assist the judge in treating his father. His bail application was however not heard as the presiding judge adjourned the matter till 20 February, 2014. Ajudua is also standing trial in another court for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69m (about N270m). The matter has been on since 2003. Nigerians reacted to the story differently calling him a fraudster institution that has perfected the art of stealing. An observer, who simply gave his name as Bonario said; ‘this man is a born 419ner, even the prison walls couldn’t stop him from. He needs special white garment style deliverance.’ A commentator, Medusa said, ‘this guy must have been a fraudster from the womb,’ and some other commentators queried the source of Bamaiyi’s money, adding that ‘this man don enter one chance.’ ‘Nigeria is finished. Where the hell did a military ex-government official get 8 million dollars from? Who should be on trial?,’ these were the words of another observer. Also commenting, an anonymous Nigerian said; ‘what about the governors, senators and even the president stealing money…we need a law against corruption that works.’ ‘It’s sad how Nigerians encourage nonsense. To the best of my understanding, Gen Bamaiyi was a career soldier. Please, where did Gen. Bamaiyi get N1.3billion to give another person? It just tells you the level of looting these criminals we celebrate as leaders have perpetrated on Nigeria,’ were the words of another observer. Another critical observer stated that, ‘this guy no dey tire to dupe people. Na only you.. Ahhh, N1B from Bamayi? You get mind ooo, the general would have been very desperate!’ ‘How come as at 2004 Bamaiyi has that kind of money, when my salary as a lance corporal was just #24k Abeg they should leave Ajudua alone. Thief carries another third collect magana yah ‘1.3Billion Naira as at 2004/2005… Where Chief of Army staff see this won? God de oooo, imagine the worth of 1.3Billion Naira in todays value talkless of the worth as at 2004/2005… (those who understand “the time value of money” would get it clear)… To come think of say this would only be a fraction of the guys money… God de,’ another person said. “The question I am asking is ‘how did Gen Bamaiyi make that huge amount of money? Secondly,’ if made the money legitimately, why did he decide to release that huge amount as bribe to two serial and unrepentant 419ers,Ajudua and Ade Bendel ? Infact,I believe strongly that we haven’t heard the last of this scam,’ one Mr. Igor said. An

anonymous writer also said ‘just imagine… Armed robber who just returned from a robbery operation and decides to or he’s taking a nap and another small thief comes to steal a little from him. And then the big armed robber goes to report to the police to have the thief arrested… ‘Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi embezzled or stole from the nation, and deprived us of good life we deserve. and Fred ajudua come to steal from him.. and now he feels the pain and what it means to be called a fool.. when u (Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi) and ur so called inner caucus were tormenting the full country and taking us for a ride and squandering all our hard earned taxes u did not remember that what goes around comes around. Now u want to show power.. Na God go de punish all of una one by one.. abeg who ever the George is please charge Fred Ajudua for the international fraud and discharge all counts levied against him by Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi.. At least let him too feel a bit of what we are still suffering because of their corrupt regime, thank you.’