Our reporters have learned from police sources that a suspected serial fraudster, Fred Ajudua, has been arrested and detained in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for land fraud and forgery.
According to our sources, Ajudua has been detained in Abuja for three days now, and he is known as one of the pioneers of advance fee fraud “419,” allegedly scamming several people in his home state of Delta.
In a report published in 2022, our reporters exclusively revealed how Ajudua, who was undergoing trial for defrauding a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, of $8.4 million, was exposed in leaked phone calls fraternising with police authorities and some top magistrates.
Our investigation obtained call recordings where Ajudua confessed to possessing an armoury of over 30 AK-47 rifles and other weapons, as well as admitting to bribing the then-Delta State Commissioner of Police with N3 million.
Further leaked calls revealed Ajudua’s alleged influence over Justice Onome Umukoro, whom he reportedly influenced to remand individuals in correctional facilities.
Ajudua has been linked to numerous fraud cases dating back to October 2003, including defrauding individuals of large sums of money, such as $250,000 from a Canadian and $350,000 from a German.
According to a top source who shared the audios with our reporters, Ajudua confessed in the recordings to various illicit activities, including planting evidence against individuals and bribing law enforcement officials.
The investigation also revealed Ajudua’s alleged manipulation of the judicial system, using his wife’s political influence to sway court decisions in his favor.