EFCC arraigns three for visa fraud in Oyo

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The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has arraigned Motunrayo Emmanuel, Awotunde Olugbenga and Idowu Sunday before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

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Emmanuel alongside Olugbenga were arraigned on a 47-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and obtaining money by false pretense to the tune of N23, 404, 600.

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This was contained in a statement issued by Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Dele Oyewale, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday.

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Count two of the charges reads, “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ on or about 1st March, 2025 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N527, 000.00 (Five Hundred and Twenty Seven Thousand Naira) only from Oluwatobi Adeoluwa Iyanda by falsely representing to him that you will secure a valid Canadian visa, flight ticket which pretenses you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money by False Pretense, an offence contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

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Count forty-two reads, “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ sometimes in 2025, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did make a false document to wit: Canadian Visa dated 20th day of June, 2025 with Travel Doc. No. B011745448 in the name of Iyanda Oluwatobi Adeoluwa which is purported to have been issued by the Government of Canada, thereby committed an offence of Forgery contrary to Section 465 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation Nigeria, 2004.”

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Another count reads, “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ sometimes in 2025, at Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently uttered a false document to wit: Canadian Visa dated 6th day of July 2025 with Travel Doc. No. B50125702 in the name of Oyewale Tunji Bello purported to have been issued by the Government of Canada with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine, thereby committed an offence of Uttering contrary to Section 468 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation Nigeria, 20004.”

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The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them, prompting the prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abideen to pray the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendants in a Correctional Centre.

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Counsel for the defendants, Jimoh Wasiu informed the court that bail applications have been filed, praying the court to admit the defendants to bail pending the hearing and determination of the charges against his clients.

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Justice Adetujoye thereafter adjourned the matter to August 26, 2026 for hearing of bail application and remanded the defendants in Agodi Correctional Centre.

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The defendants’ journey to the Correctional Centre began when they approached their victims, Oluwatobi Adeoluwa Iyanda and Oyewale Tunji Bello under the pretext that they are travel and immigration agents based in Abuja and could help their victims facilitate a Canadian Visa and make other travelling arrangements to travel abroad.

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Consequently, the defendants received N12, 368, 100.00 from Iyanda and N11, 036, 500.00 from Bello and later reneged on their promises.

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In the same vein, the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, on Monday, August 17, 2026, arraigned one Idowu Olugbemi Sunday before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State for defrauding his victim, Okanlawon Tunji Ajao the sum of N6, 650, 000.00 under the guise of securing a Canadian Visa for him and his family.

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Sunday was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents, and obtaining money by false pretence.

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Count one reads: “That you, Idowu Olugbemi Sunday between June, 2025 and January, 2026 at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the total sum of N6, 650, 000.00 (Six Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) from Okanlawon Tunji Ajao by falsely representing to him that you will secure a Canadian Visa for him and his family which pretence you knew to be false, thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money by False Pretence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

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The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

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Following his plea, prosecution counsel, Lanre Suleiman, prayed the court for a trial date and the remand of the defendant in a Correctional Center.

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Counsel to the defendant, Tiwalade Shittu, informed the court of a motion filed, praying the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms.

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Justice Adetujoye, having listened to both parties, adjourned the matter till August 26, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and remanded the defendant to Agodi Correctional Centre.

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