Nigeria's Historical Throw Back Lane -4

Take a walk down Nigeria's memory lane and see where the path might lead you....

*Flashback*

You be 419!!!

                         Adedeji Alumile (a.k.a Ade Bendel)1966 – present 

Ade Bendel was born in Ibadan Oyo State. His parents were from Hiveeie, Owan Local Government of present day Edo State. He was nicknamed Ade Bendel  in his young days, for his habit of always trying to remind anyone who mistook him for being Yoruba that he was from the old Bendel State.

He dropped out of primary school early and was reputed to have always been interested in making money.  He left Ibadan for Lagos in the early eighties, and by 1991 – 1992 he had emerged as a power player in the Lagos social circle.

   

Reputed to be a very flamboyant, stylish, urbane and suave, he made sure to consume and offer only top of the range wines, spirits and cognac in private, as well as in events and occasions. He drove some of the most expensive automobile of that era, and had a particular weakness for British icons, like the Jaguar and Rolls Royce, He was also a power dresser  always turning up in Armani & Savile Row tailored Suits, matched  with handmade oxford shoes. He loved the limelight and never ceased to put on a show. Always hanging out with the likes of Maurice Ibekwe, Toyin Igbira, Shina One One , Osaro Onaiwu (The Earl) etc.

 By 1995 he was arrested by NDLEA who were clamping down on drug barons and peddlers, and was released when they discovered that he did not do drugs but was deeply involved in advanced fee fraud. He will later drop off the radar and later remerged in 1997 when he was arrested for defrauding a business man, he was briefly detained and let loose again. 

Ade was emboldened as the days went by and continued in his illicit enterprise, he was notorious for giving bribes to all and sundry that it was said that when he was set to scam a victim he always set out a percentage for bribes in case he was caught. (He was alleged to have personally delivered 15million Naira to then Inspector General of Police Tafa Balogun and his case file disappeared from the archives of the Nigerian Police) .

In 1998 he duped two Delta State indigenes of 11million and 250million Naira respectively and while they were trying to get a hold on him, he perfected and executed what would be one of his most audacious and daring scams, when he duped a retired army general : Abba Kyari a former governor of the old North Central State of a whopping  500million naira in 1999. 

Abbah could not believe it, Ade went to town bought cars, houses and closed down parties. Musicians sang his praises to high heavens and entertainers went out and out to impress him, he was arrested and as usual released without returning a dime to the victim. He also succeeded in liquidating a popular Sheikh, Abdul Jabar Balogun of  70million naira and 15cars while trying to help him buy a ship, The Sheikh lost his entire savings and his calling, quietly going into oblivion.

By the turn of the millennium Ade had disappeared and remerged after duping a retired Egyptian General, Abdel Azim Attia of a total of  $605,500 on a hoax agricultural business. The General wrote to the Nigerian government and Ade Bendel was arrested in 2003 by the EFCC.

 While that case was ongoing he was arraigned separately for defrauding  Hendrick Iniqi Cima a German national, of a total sum of  $1, 698, 380 in return for a fictitious contract.

In 2008 upon his release he told the world of his desire for restitution and the idea that in prison he had found salvation. He held a press conference to intimate the world of his changed status (during which singer Dbanj reportedly broke down weeping).

In 2013 his name was mentioned during the hearing on a case, in a high stakes web of carefully planned and orchestrated tale of advanced fee fraud. 

This time it was with another patriarch of the game Fred Ajudua, and a court registrar. This they carried out while still held in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison between 2004 and 2005, they succeeded in defrauding former Chief of Army Staff, Ishaya Bamaiyi $8.395million, (Held in the same prison on allegations of masterminding the killing of Alex Ibru, during the Abacha years) .

 In the same year the EFCC declared him wanted for his plan, involvement and execution of an elaborate scam and conspiracy in obtaining the sum of $7,855,500 and 3million Naira respectively, while he was held in Kirikiri maximum prison, Nuhu Ribadu could not hide his frustration on how and through which means he continued his activities even behind bars. 

Ade Bendel remains at large.

Sources : 

thepremimtimesng.com March 12, 2014

thestreetjournal.org  June 3, 2013

naijarchives.com October 19, 2015

newswatchtimesng.com April 27, 2015

Picture credits : Online