Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested an alleged serial fraudster, Mrs. Imaobong Okpong, for her suspected involvement in multiple visa scam operations and fake foreign scholarship schemes.
According to a statement released by the EFCC on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, the suspect — who reportedly owns a private school in Mbierebe, Akwa Ibom State — was apprehended following a petition filed by a victim identified as Dr. Blessing Bassey, a medical practitioner.
Dr. Bassey alleged that Okpong defrauded her of ₦3 million under the pretense of helping her and her husband secure university admission and process student visas to Canada.
Narrating her ordeal, Bassey said the suspect approached her in February 2024, claiming to have access to a foreign scholarship opportunity and study visa slots abroad. Initially skeptical, Bassey explained that she only agreed to proceed after Okpong signed an indemnity agreement, which was notarised before she made the transfer.
“She contacted me with a supposed opportunity to secure a scholarship and study visa abroad,” Bassey said. “I did not make any payment until she signed an indemnity agreement, which I notarised. After that, I made a ₦3,000,000 electronic transfer into her account.”
However, after receiving the payment, Okpong allegedly became unreachable. She reportedly stopped answering calls and failed to fulfil her promise or any of the terms stated in their agreement.
READ ALSO:
- Nigeria Condemns Attempted Coup in Benin, Calls for Calm
- Queen Ashley Celebrates Ooni of Ife’s 10th Coronation Anniversary With Emotional Tribute
- Benin Republic Faces ‘Attempted Coup’ as Soldiers Declare ‘President Talon Removed from Power’
- KWAM 1 Directed to Verify Lineage Before Awujale Bid, Family Warns Outsiders
- “I Supported Tinubu in 2023 Because of Online Bullying” — Bimbo Akintola
According to Bassey, it was later discovered that Okpong had defrauded several other unsuspecting victims using similar tactics.
“I met someone in China. She was stranded when she got there and realised that there was no scholarship. Some of her (Okpong’s) victims had travelled abroad with fake documents that left many of them stranded overseas, while some others faced deportation with huge financial losses,” she revealed.
The EFCC noted that investigations have revealed a pattern of deceit, where the suspect allegedly lured multiple victims with false promises of foreign education and work opportunities. The anti-graft agency stated that Okpong would be charged in court as soon as investigations are concluded.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, the EFCC disclosed that a Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted and sentenced an entrepreneur, Muhammed Bukar, to six months imprisonment for offences related to counterfeit currency and cybercrime.
According to the Commission, Justice Abimbola Awogboro handed down the judgment after finding Bukar guilty of a two-count charge filed by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
The EFCC stated that Bukar, who hails from Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State, was apprehended for being in possession of fake currency and engaging in cyber-related offences.
The conviction, the EFCC said, is part of its ongoing effort to combat financial crimes, cyber fraud, and other forms of economic malpractice across the country.
With both arrests and convictions announced the same day, the EFCC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that fraudsters and economic saboteurs face the full weight of the law.