Police uncover N500m visa scam, apprehend 4

The Lagos State Police Command has detained four suspects in connection with a large-scale visa scam involving the fraudulent collection of N500 million.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, indicated that the suspects were apprehended by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

“The suspects, who are between the ages of 23 and 36, were apprehended by operatives of SCID.

“The case which was initially reported at the Ago Okota Division was subsequently transferred to the SCID for further investigation”, he said.

He said that a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were all staff of an educational consultancy located in Ago Okota.

The PPRO  said that they fraudulently obtained a total of N500 million from over 100 unsuspecting victims under the false promise of securing Canadian and Australian work visas for them.

“Further investigations revealed that the syndicate includes additional accomplices, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend them and bring them to justice upon conclusion of the investigation, “he said.

Hundeyin said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, advised the public to verify the authenticity of travel and recruitment agencies before engaging in any visa-related transactions.

The PPRO assured the public that the command remains committed to pursuing justice and protecting residents from fraudsters and other criminal elements. (NAN)