News
Court Adjourns Fred Ajudua’s Case Indefinitely In Alleged $1.043m Fraud
Court Adjourns Fred Ajudua’s Case Indefinitely In Alleged $1.043m Fraud
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday, March 9, 2026, adjourned indefinitely (sine die) the trial of Fred Ajudua over an alleged $1,043,000 fraud.
Ajudua is standing trial for allegedly defrauding a Palestinian , Zad Abu Zalaf, of the sum of $1,043,000 (One Million, Forty-Three Thousand U.S. Dollars) under false pretences.
The case, which began in 2005 before Justice M.O. Obadina of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, encountered several delays due to legal technicalities employed by the defendant that stalled the proceedings and complicated his arraignment.
The matter was subsequently reassigned to Justice J.E. Oyefeso and later to Justice M.A. Dada, before whom Ajudua was finally arraigned on June 4, 2018.
Following the denial of his bail by Justice Dada, Ajudua appealed to the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which granted him bail on September 10, 2018.
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s ruling, the EFCC appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Commission also filed a separate appeal with suit number SC/912C/2018 challenging the appellate court’s decision to transfer the case from Justice Dada to another judge to commence afresh (de novo).
Both issues were resolved in favour of the appellant (prosecution) by the apex court, which remitted the case to the Chief Judge of Lagos State to be assigned to Justice Dada for the continuation of a speedy trial and its determination within the shortest possible time.
At the proceedings on Monday, the defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, informed the court that the defendant had filed a motion on notice before the court.
“This matter was earlier adjourned for the continuation of trial.
“However, there is a supervening factor, which is the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on January 30, 2026, allowing the appeal against the ruling of the Lagos State High Court refusing the defendant bail,” he said.
Ojo further told the court that a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment had been forwarded to the court and attached to the motion on notice filed by the defence on March 5, 2026.
According to him, the Court of Appeal granted bail to the defendant and also ordered that the substantive suit be remitted to another court to commence de novo.
The senior counsel to the defendant submitted that he was relying on the case of Ajudua v. FRN (2019) where the Court of Appeal gave a similar interpretation on the transfer of the case to start de novo.
He also informed the court that the complainant in the matter had appealed against the decision at the Court of Appeal.
“Until that judgment is set aside, the court must act on it. We have written a letter to the Chief Judge of Lagos State to reassign the case to another judge of the High Court of Lagos State,” he said.
Ojo argued that the present court no longer had the jurisdiction to continue with the case and could only direct that the case file be sent to the Chief Judge of Lagos State for reassignment.
Ojo (SAN) also informed the court that he was not relying on the motion filed on March 5, 2026 but on the Judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on January 30, 2026.
In response, the prosecuting counsel, S. K. Atteh, told the court that he received the application late on Friday.
Court
He added that although the Court of Appeal granted bail to the defendant, the judgment contained no order directing that the case be transferred to another court.
Atteh also informed the Court that counsel to the defendant had filed a motion at the Court of Appeal praying the Court to clarify or interpret the judgment on the issue of the transfer of the case to another judge of the High Court of Lagos State for the trial to start de novo, contrary to the earlier decision of the Supreme Court on the issue.
He urged the Court to strike out the motion if the counsel to the defendant is not relying on the application, which was still pending in the court file.
After listening to the submissions of both parties, Justice Dada struck out the motion on notice and adjourned the matter sine die (indefinitely).
Meanwhile, Ojo SAN, Counsel to Fred Ajudua has also filed another motion at the Supreme Court on February 24, 2026 , praying the apex court to set aside its earlier judgment delivered on May 9, 2025.
Pensioners Threaten Nationwide Protest, Demand Governors Urgently Review Payment
The National Association of Retirees of State Governments has threatened a nationwide protest unless state governors urgently review pension payments in line with existing labour laws.
Simon Anchaver, president of the union, made the call in Yenagoa at the inauguration of the Bayelsa interim executive of the newly registered union.
The union demanded that the 36 state governors prioritise pension payments.
They equally called on President Bola Tinubu to establish a ministry for pension affairs to guarantee annual budgetary allocations for pensioners’ welfare.
Eereporter.com
The union bemoaned the arbitrary payment of pensions by some governors, and commended the Nasarawa state governor for releasing N7 billion to clear pension arrears and gratuity.
Its national secretary, Bipre Ndiomu, said the union was newly registered and currently inaugurating state executives. He urged state governors to put in place the modalities to guarantee the welfare of pensioners across the country.
Protest Demolition
Bayelsa’s head of service, Wisdom Sawyer, urged the executive to serve as a bridge between retirees and the government, adding that the state government was open to engagement on outstanding issues.
The newly inaugurated state chairman, Bazigha Tanwei, accepted the mandate and promised an open-door policy, regular consultations with members, and sustained advocacy with the state government to clear arrears.
Financial Literacy: NNPC Foundation Trains Batch A Stream 2 Corps Members
In continuation of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives on financial literacy, the NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte has conducted its second 2026 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) skills empowerment training for Batch A, Stream 2 corps members at the FCT NYSC Orientation Camp, Kubwa, Abuja, over the weekend.
Delivered in partnership with the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) scheme, the programme covers financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and business development. Its training structure also includes a financial literacy test, a “Kick Start My Business” course, and business proposal pitching.
Eereporter.com
Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, who was represented by the Head, Programme Management, Rose Okonkwo, noted that over one million corps members have been trained nationwide through the programme.
Acting Director of SAED, Usman Yahaya, commended the NNPC Foundation for its consistent support, urging the corps members to acquire multiple skills during their service year in order to position themselves as job creators and not job seekers.
NNPC, NYSC
It would be recalled that last year, 531 youths received Starter Packs and financial support to help them launch their businesses, with most beneficiaries recording measurable progress across their various enterprises.
The NNPC Foundation Ltd./Gte has, through the financial literacy programme, sustained its commitment to preparing young Nigerians towards sustainable careers and self-reliance, contributing to national economic growth and development.
News
CAS Reaffirms Commitment To Aircraft Safety, Operational Excellence At NAF Airworthiness Seminar
CAS Reaffirms Commitment To Aircraft Safety, Operational Excellence At NAF Airworthiness Seminar
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has restated his unwavering commitment to enhancing operational safety and sustaining peak combat readiness through rigorous training, strict adherence to airworthiness standards, and the continuous modernisation of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
Air Marshal Aneke made this known on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, while declaring open a two-day Airworthiness Seminar organised by the Aircraft Engineering Branch at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja. The seminar brought together senior engineering officers, maintenance commanders, logistics experts, and key aviation stakeholders to deliberate on strategies aimed at improving aircraft safety, fleet sustainability, and operational readiness across the Service.
Speaking at the event, the CAS, represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal AY Abdullahi, emphasised that airworthiness remains non-negotiable in the effective projection of decisive air power, stressing that the safety and reliability of NAF platforms are critical to mission success in ongoing counter-terrorism and internal security operations nationwide. He noted that the seminar aligns with his command philosophy of transforming the Nigerian Air Force into a more capable, professional, and mission-ready fighting force through innovation, discipline, and high operational standards.
Eereporter.com
Air Marshal Aneke further stated that the institutionalisation of stringent maintenance procedures, continuous capacity development, and a strong culture of professionalism, anchored on purposeful lethality, mission effectiveness, and sustained combat capability, will remain enduring principles guiding the Service into the future.
NAF Airworthiness Seminar
A major highlight of the seminar was a technical presentation delivered by Mr Clementi Giorgio, Executive Chairman, Chief Technology Officer, Experienced Test Pilot, Flight Test Engineer, and Flight Test Instructor from the International Test Pilot School, Ontario, Canada.
During his presentation, Mr Giorgio shared global best practices on flight test safety, airworthiness certification, and emerging technologies in aircraft maintenance management.
The seminar is expected to further strengthen the NAF’s maintenance culture, operational efficiency, and readiness to meet contemporary air power demands in defence of the nation.
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