At least 75 Nigerians have reportedly lost more than N100 million to individuals posing as visa agents who allegedly promised to facilitate travel documents to Canada.
The victims were said to have paid between N3 million and N12 million each after being assured that they would secure Canadian visas through the arrangement.
Many of them reportedly disposed of personal assets, rented out their apartments and borrowed money in order to raise the required funds.
One of the victims, identified as Mr. Promise, allegedly paid about N11 million and resigned from his job in anticipation of relocating abroad before discovering that the process had not progressed as expected.
According to a source close to him, the financial loss has left him in a difficult situation, as he is currently unable to meet some of his family responsibilities, including his children’s school fees.
The source also disclosed that the victim has been moving between Port Harcourt and his village while trying to cope with the financial setback.
The case is linked to Dr. Nekebari Nathan Dambere, who has been described as a travel trainer.
Reports indicate that he was earlier arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Port Harcourt over an alleged N39.1 million visa-related fraud.
Dambere, when contacted, acknowledged that he was not a licensed travel agent but described himself as a travel trainer.
He explained that in some cases individuals made payments through him to intermediaries responsible for processing visa arrangements.
He also acknowledged that the total amount paid through him in the arrangement was about N100 million.
He stated that the intermediaries involved in the process had begun discussions about refunding the money in installments and expressed hope that ongoing efforts by the EFCC and the Nigeria Police Force would help recover the funds and return them to the affected individuals.
However, he did not specify a timeline for the refund.
Legal counsel to Dambere, Barr. Stanley Princewill, also indicated that efforts had been made to refund part of the money before the matter was reported to the EFCC.
According to him, the situation had become complicated following the involvement of law enforcement authorities, making it difficult for his client to actively pursue recovery of the funds from the intermediaries.
Princewill also explained that Dambere’s professional activities involve training individuals as caregivers and helping them secure employment opportunities abroad, including in Canada.
He maintained that his client does not operate as a travel agent.
Some of the victims, however, alleged that the situation worsened after the travel arrangement failed to materialise.
They claimed that the WhatsApp group initially created for the visa process was later deleted and replaced with another platform allegedly used to recruit additional participants into the scheme.
The affected individuals have since joined together to pursue legal action in an effort to recover their money.
They submitted a petition to the Nigeria Police Force in Rivers State, requesting a comprehensive investigation into the matter and urging authorities to facilitate the recovery of their funds.
Several of the victims who spoke anonymously expressed concerns about the possibility of retrieving their money.
Some of them said they were no longer interested in travelling abroad but were primarily focused on getting refunds after selling properties, renting out homes and borrowing funds to participate in the arrangement.
They also alleged that Dambere had been difficult to reach for several months, a situation that has increased uncertainty over how and when the money would be repaid.
When contacted for confirmation, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would need time to verify the details of the case before making an official statement.
NAN
