Travel Scam: EFCC Arrests Travel Agent Over N8.5m Canadian Visa Scam

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Kaduna State has arrested one Mrs. Mary Aweh Olaleye, the promoter of Victoria Travels Resorts Ltd.

She is in trouble for allegedly obtaining N8,480,000 from prospective travellers by false pretence, EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement.

Olaleye collected the sum from Tochukwu Casmir Asika and Daniel Monday Alabi under the pretext of helping them to procure Canadian visas and other arrangements.

In 2018, the complainant engaged the suspect to arrange a trip to Turks and Caicos Islands. They paid him N1,000,000 each.

Two days to their departure, Olaleye informed them that the trip had been put on hold.

She offered an alternative – a visa to Canada – which they accepted and paid N4,240,000 each for a visa, consultancy and air tickets.

After a long time, Olaleye called and issued the duo Canadian visa, Yellow Fever cards, and said they will be travelling through Kenya.

But upon arrival in the country, Asika and Alabi were arrested by Kenyan Immigration officials for possession of fake Yellow Fever cards and detained.

Upon release, the duo made efforts to contact the suspect to get her Kenyan representative to assist with the connecting flight to Canada but her phone lines were off.

The complainants were re-arrested by Kenyan Immigration and deported to Nigeria. They reported the matter to the EFCC.

Uwujaren recalled that the suspect severally shunned invitation by the Kaduna office of the EFCC until a lien was placed on her account.

Olaleye was arrested at her bank in Abuja and moved to Kaduna for further investigation. She would be charged to court soon.