four suspects believed to be part of a sophisticated visa fraud syndicate that allegedly defrauded over 100 Nigerians of a staggering ₦500 million have been apprehended by the Lagos State Police Command’s State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) .
The suspects operated under the guise of an educational consultancy, promising Canadian and Australian work visas.
The arrests were confirmed by CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Command. The suspects, identified as Blessing Wefsutu (27), Chineye Christian (36), Archibong Udeme Ifereke (23), and Maurine Peter (25), were all employees of a consultancy located in the Ago Okota area of Lagos. According to the police, the fraudulent operation began when victims approached the company seeking help to travel abroad for employment.
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The four suspects then collected large sums of money, falsely promising to secure valid work visas.
Investigations are ongoing as police believe the syndicate includes additional accomplices.
The Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has advised the public to exercise due diligence and verify the authenticity of travel and recruitment agencies to avoid becoming victims of similar scams.