Court arraigns man over N60m visa scam

A man identified as Israel Onen was on Monday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos by the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force over an alleged N60m visa fraud.

Onen appeared before Justice Ibrahim Kala on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, fraud, money laundering and stealing. The charges are contained in suit number FHC/L/1203C/2025.

According to the prosecution, the defendant conspired with others who are currently at large between 2024 and 2025 to defraud a complainant, Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel.

He was accused of collecting N60m on the pretext of securing Irish and Schengen visas for the complainant’s clients.

The prosecutor told the court that the visas were never obtained and that the money was also not refunded.

The alleged offences, the police said, contravened provisions of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and the Criminal Code.

Onen pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.

Following his plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in police custody, citing multiple petitions allegedly filed against him.

Defence counsel, O. Ogu, opposed the application and asked the court to grant the defendant bail, informing the court that a formal bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.

In his ruling, Justice Kala granted Onen bail in the sum of N60m with one surety in like sum.

The judge directed that the surety must be either a civil servant not below Grade Level 13 or a landed property owner with property valued at N60m.

The court further ordered the defendant and his surety to submit two passport photographs each, along with their National Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers, bank account details and telephone numbers.

Justice Kala directed the court registrar and the prosecutor to verify the bail conditions and adjourned the case to February 12, 2026, for trial.

He also ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions.