EFCC Arrests Travel Agent Over Alleged Visa Scam

On Jun 29, 2021

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal office have arrested one Mrs. Mary Aweh Olaleye,, promoter of Victoria Travels Resorts Ltd for allegedly obtaining Eight Million Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N8,480,000.00) from two prospective travelers by false pretence. She allegedly obtained the sum from the duo of Tochukwu Casmir Asika and Daniel Monday Alabi.under the pretext of helping to procure Canadian Visas and other travel arrangements for them.

According to a statement from the EFCC, the complainants alleged that sometime in 2018,they contacted the suspect to arrange a trip to Turks and Caicos Islands for them, for which they paid him the sum of One Million naira(N1,000,000,00) each, totaling Two Million Naira (N2,000,000.00).

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The statement added that two days to their departure, the suspect allegedly informed them that the trip had been put on hold and offered them an alternative; a visa to Canada which they accepted and paid a cumulative sums of Four Million Two Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira (N4,240,000.00) respectively, for visa, consultancy fee and air tickets

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The complainants further stated that after a long hiatus, the suspect called and issued them the Canadian visa and Yellow Fever cards, and informed them they will be travelling through Kenya. However, upon arrival in Kenya, they were arrested by Kenyan Immigration Officials for possession of fake Yellow Fever cards and detained.

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Upon, 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.

All efforts to retrieve their money proved abortive, hence the recourse to EFCC.

The suspect severally shunned invitation by the Kaduna Office of the EFCC 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.

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She would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.