Access News Magazine
Your Number 1 Reliable Online Magazine in Nigeria

EFCC nabs travel agent over alleged N4.2m visa scam in Kaduna

206

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Kaduna State have arrested the promoter of Victoria Travels Resorts Limited, Mary Olaleye, for allegedly obtaining N4, 240,000 from two prospective travelers.

This was contained in a statement issued by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren on Tuesday.

According to Punch Newspaper, the suspect obtained the sum from Tochukwu Asika and Daniel Alabi on the pretext of procuring Canadian visas and making other travel arrangements for them.

The statement read in part: “The complainants alleged that sometime in 2018, they contacted the suspect to arrange a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands for them for which they paid him the sum of N1m each.

“Two days to their departure, the suspect allegedly informed them that the trip had been put on hold and offered them an alternative of visas to Canada, which they accepted and paid a cumulative sum of N4,240,000 for the visas, consultancy fee and air tickets.

“The complainants further stated that after a long hiatus, the suspect called and a Canadian visa and Yellow Fever cards were issued to them, and informed them that they would be traveling through Kenya.

“However, upon arrival in Kenya, they were arrested and detained by Immigration officials for possession of fake Yellow Fever cards.

“Upon their release from detention after being issued with new Yellow Fever cards, the duo made spirited efforts to contact the suspect to get her Kenyan representative to assist them with the connecting flight to Canada, but could not reach her as she had switched off her mobile lines.

“The complainants were later re-arrested by Kenyan Immigration and deported to Nigeria,” the statement said.

Mr Uwujaren added that the victims reported to the EFCC when all efforts to retrieve their money proved abortive.

He revealed that the suspect shunned several invitations by the Kaduna office of the anti-graft agency until a lien was placed on her account.

“She was subsequently arrested at her bank in Abuja and brought back to Kaduna for further investigation,” he added.

According to the statement, the suspect would be charged as soon as investigation into the case is concluded.

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Verified by MonsterInsights