By Francis Wilfred
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally petitioned the Supreme Court of Nigeria to revoke the bail granted to Lagos socialite Fred Chijindu Ajudua. In a notice of appeal dated February 20, 2026, the anti-graft agency is challenging a January 30 ruling by the Court of Appeal in Lagos that admitted the defendant to bail.
Lead counsel for the Commission, S.K. Atteh, argued that the appellate court erred in law by dismissing the prosecution’s preliminary objections. The EFCC maintains that the lower court failed to properly interpret a May 9, 2025, Supreme Court judgment which had effectively foreclosed the possibility of bail. According to the EFCC, the apex court had previously ordered that Ajudua remain in custody to ensure a speedy trial of the pending charges.
The Commission, through a statement by its Head of Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, described the appellate court’s decision as inconsistent with the doctrine of judicial hierarchy. The EFCC contends that under Sections 235 and 275(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the decisions of the Supreme Court carry a constitutional finality that the Court of Appeal cannot circumvent.
Central to the appeal is the EFCC’s challenge of the medical grounds used to justify the bail. While the appellate court relied on a medical report dated November 19, 2025, as evidence of “changed circumstances,” the anti-graft agency argued that Ajudua has cited kidney-related ailments as a defense since 1987. The Commission alleged a history of “medical-induced delays” since the initial charge was filed in 2005, pointing to inconsistencies in various reports issued by the same medical consultant.
The EFCC warned that allowing the defendant to remain on bail would likely frustrate the Supreme Court’s directive for an accelerated hearing. The agency noted that during previous periods when Ajudua was on bail, the trial moved at a glacial pace, with only one prosecution witness testifying over an extended timeframe.
The Commission is now seeking an order from the Supreme Court to set aside the January 30, 2026, bail and restore the trial court’s November 20, 2025, ruling which had refused the application. Ajudua is currently standing trial for allegedly defrauding Palestinian businessman Zad Abu Zalaf of $1.043 million. No hearing date has yet been fixed for the appeal.
