EFCC indicts 3 people for alleged visa fraud in Ibadan

The Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 arraigned the trio of Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo, Awotunde Olugbenga and Idowu Olugbemi on Sunday before Justices Olusola Adetujoye and Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Motunrayo along with Olugbenga were indicted on forty-seven counts which included forgery, misrepresentation of documents and obtaining money under false pretenses amounting to N23.4 million.

Count two of the indictment reads: “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ on or about March 1, 2025 at Ibadan, Oyo State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable 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 making a false statement to him that you would obtain a valid Canadian visa, a flight ticket that you pretend to know is fake, thereby committing the offense of Obtaining Money by False Pretend, an offense contrary to Section 419 of the Criminal Code Act Cap 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

Count forty-two reads: “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ sometime in the year 2025, in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did indeed produce forged documents namely: Canadian Visa dated 20 June 2025 with Travel Document No. B011745448 in the name of Iyanda Oluwatobi Adeoluwa purportedly to have been issued by the Government of Canada, thereby committing an offence. Forgery contrary to Section 465 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Nigerian Federation, 2004.”

Another count reads, “That you, Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo ‘F’ and Awotunde Olugbenga ‘M’ sometime in the year 2025, in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, fraudulently uttered a forged document namely: Canadian Visa dated July 6, 2025 with Travel Document No. B50125702 in the name of Oyewale Tunji Bello purportedly issued by the Government of Canada with the intention that it may be deemed genuine, thereby committing an offense of Pronunciation contrary to Section 468 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 20004.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read out, prompting the prosecutor, Mohammed Abideen to pray to the court for a trial date and detention of the defendants at the Correctional Centre.

Counsel for the defendants, Jimoh Wasiu informed the court that a bail application had been filed, praying the court to accept the defendants to grant bail pending trial and determination of charges against his clients.

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

The defendants’ journey to prison began when they approached their victims, Oluwatobi Adeoluwa Iyanda and Oyewale Tunji Bello under the pretense that they were travel and immigration agents based in Abuja and could help their victims facilitate Canadian Visas and other travel arrangements to travel abroad.

As a result, the defendants received N12, 368, 100.00 (Twelve Million, Three Hundred and Sixty Eight Thousand One Hundred Naira) from Iyanda and N11, 036, 500.00 (Eleven Million, Three Hundred and Six Thousand Five Hundred Naira) from Bello and then reneged on their promises.

In the same vein, the EFCC Ibadan Zonal Directorate, on Monday, August 17, 2026 arraigned one Idowu Olugbemi on Sunday before Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State for allegedly defrauding his victim, Okanlawon Tunji Ajao of the sum of N6.6 million under the guise of obtaining Canadian Visas for him and his family.

Sunday was charged with four counts that include forgery, disclosing documents, and obtaining money under false pretenses.

Count one reads: “That you, Idowu Olugbemi Sunday between June 2025 and January 2026 in Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable 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 would obtain a Canadian Visa for him and his family pretending you knew that you were lying, thereby committed the offense of Obtaining Money by False Pretense contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act, 2006.”

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

Following his plea, the prosecutor, Lanre Suleiman prayed to the court for a trial date and to remand the accused to the Correctional Centre.

The accused’s counsel, Tiwalade Shittu informed the court about the motion filed, and prayed that the court would allow his client to grant bail on liberal terms.

Justice Adetujoye, after hearing both sides, adjourned the matter to August 26, 2026 to hear the bail application and remand the accused to Agodi Correctional Institution.