Alleged $1,043, 000 Fraud:  Supreme Court Revokes Fred Ajudua’s Bail, Returns him to Prison

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Supreme Court on Friday, May 9, 2025 allowed an appeal made by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, against the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division which granted bail to a socialite, Fred Ajudua.  

Ajudua is standing trial for allegedly obtaining the sum of $ 1,043,000( One Million, Forty Three Thousand Dollars from a Palestinian, Zad Abu Zalaf,  in fraudulent circumstances.  

At the beginning of trial in 2005 before Justice M.O Obadina of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja,  Ajudua employed several legal technicalities to stall proceedings which made his arraignment difficult until the matter was re- assigned to Justice J. E Oyefeso and later Justice M. A Dada before whom he was arraigned on June 4,  2018.

Ajudua challenged his denial of bail at the Lagos Court of Appeal and the appellate court granted him bail on September 10, 2018.  Dissatisfied with the judgment,  the EFCC approached the apex court in suit number SC/ 51C/ 2019. challenging the judgment of the appellate court. 

The Commission also entered another appeal  before the apex court in suit number SC/912C/2018 against the Court of Appeal Lagos’  judgment ordering the case to be transferred from the court of Justice Dada of the Lagos State High Court to another judge for the case to start de novo.

Delivering judgment on the appeals on Friday,  the Supreme Court allowed the EFCC’s appeals and revoked Ajudua’s bail granted to him by the Court of Appeal, Lagos and reinstated the ruling of Justice Dada which declined to grant him bail. 

The Supreme Court also ordered that Fred Ajudua be remanded  in the Correctional Centre). The Court further directed that the Chief Judge of Lagos State should reassign the case to Justice Dada to continue the trial.

The apex  court further held that the appeal in appeal no SC/912C/2019 has become academic since the payer in that  appeal was against an order of the Court of Appeal,  Lagos, transferring the case to another court to start the case de novo.

Transafam Power CEO Engr. Vincent Ozoude To Speak on Tech-Driven Infrastructure at IoT West Africa

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Engr. Vincent Ozoude, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transafam Power Ltd, a power-generating subsidiary of Transcorp Plc, will deliver a keynote address at the upcoming IoT West Africa conference.

The conference, a premier gathering focused on the transformative power of the Internet of Things (IoT) across various industries, will take place in Lagos from May 13 – 15 2025.

Engr. Ozoude’s keynote, titled “Strengthening the Utilities Sector with Fast Adoption of Advanced Technologies for Future-Ready Infrastructure,” will highlight the critical role of technological innovation in revolutionizing the utilities landscape in West Africa and beyond.

Engr. Ozoude will also share insightful perspectives on how the rapid integration of advanced technologies, such as how Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Analytics, can address key challenges and unlock unprecedented opportunities within the utilities (Power) sector, referencing how Transafam Power is leveraging cutting-edge technologies to generate sustainable power, contributing the Nigeria’s industrial and national development.

Furthermore, Ozoude’s keynote will explore strategies for enhancing operational efficiency, especially how IoT-enabled sensors and smart grid technologies can optimize energy generation, transmission, and distribution, reducing waste and improving overall efficiency. He will also touch on leveraging advanced technologies for predictive maintenance, early fault detection, and proactive management of Power Generating equipment and infrastructure to minimize disruptions and enhance reliability, as well as the significance of harnessing real-time data insights generated by IoT devices to inform strategic planning, optimize resource allocation, and enhance service.

Transafam Power, under Ozoude’s leadership, has been at the forefront of exploring and implementing innovative solutions to enhance its operations and contribute to a more reliable and sustainable power sector in Nigeria. In May 2023, the company had ceremonial commissioning of Nigeria’s first mobile power generating plant to the national grid, with eight trailer-mounted gas turbines of 30 megawatts each, amounting to 240 MW commissioned.

At the conference, industry professionals, policymakers, and technology enthusiasts will gather and deliberate on how toleverage advanced technologies to shape the future of utilities, presenting a valuable opportunity to gain first hand insights into the transformative potential of technologies.

IoT West Africa is recognized as a vital platform for fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and showcasing the latest advancements in IoT across various sectors in the region. Mr. Ozoude’s participation as a keynote speaker underscores the growing importance of technology in addressing the critical needs of the utilities sector and building a more resilient and efficient infrastructure for the future.

Nigeria Government, UN launch US$159 million plan to avert food security and nutrition crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Nigeria’s Federal Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, today launched the 2025 Lean Season Response Plan for Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states in north-east Nigeria.

The Plan seeks US$159 million for urgent nutrition, food, and health interventions and other life-saving assistance for 2 million people in most severe need in the BAY states over the next six months.

In the BAY states, 1 million children are at risk of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2025 – double the number in 2024. Of these children, over 600,000 are at risk of SAM over the next six months. Without access to lifesaving nutrition services, they may die.

An estimated 4.6 million people in the BAY states are also projected to face acute food insecurity during the *lean season starting in June – according to the Government-led Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis results released in March 2025. This marks the sixth consecutive year of severe conditions.

In his remarks at the launch of the Plan in Abuja, Minister Yilwatda emphasized the need for urgent action. “This Plan is not just about structures and strategies. It is about a promise that no child in Borno, Adamawa, or Yobe should have to sleep hungry when the world has enough food; that no mother should lose a child to a condition we know how to treat, and that dignity must never be a casualty of conflict or poverty,” he said.

He also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to leading the response, aligning it to national policies.

The BAY states are grappling with a 15-year humanitarian crisis, which has been intensified by prolonged conflict, economic instability, and climatic shocks. Significant funding cuts for humanitarian operations in 2025 have multiplied the severity of needs and limited access to much-needed lifesaving support.

The health and nutrition sectors have been particularly impacted in the BAY states, with up to 70 per cent of health services and 50 per cent of nutrition services affected. This is threatening gains in malnutrition prevention and treatment.

“Humanitarianism is under threat; solidarity is in short supply, and the lack of resources is putting millions, especially children, at risk,” the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, said. He reiterated the critical role of Government leadership and the need for the private sector and emerging donors to support humanitarians to address the alarming needs.

Early action is critical to mitigate the worst impacts of the lean season on children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. The lean season response plan focuses on the most immediate lifesaving needs, including food assistance, emergency healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, protection, and agricultural livelihoods. It also calls for sustained investments in locally led responses for longer-term resilience.