EFCC arrests Akwa Ibom school owner over ₦3 million visa scam
The owner of Michael Udonquak Schools, Mbierebe, in Akwa Ibom State, is in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged N3 million visa and scholarship fraud.
The EFCC, in a post on X, said operatives attached to its Uyo zonal directorate arrested Imaobong Okpong after a petitioner, Blessing Bassey, alleged that the school owner defrauded her of ₦3 million.
The agency said on Friday, “Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested an alleged serial fraudster, Mrs Imaobong Cyril Okpong, for her alleged involvement in a series of visa fraud schemes and fake offers of foreign scholarships for nonexistent studies abroad.
“Okpong was arrested following claims of a petitioner, Dr (Mrs) Blessing Nse Bassey, a clinician, who alleged that the suspect defrauded her of the sum of ₦3,000,000 (three million naira) under the guise of securing a university admission for her and also processing Canadian visas for her and her husband.”
The anti-graft agency vowed to charge the school owner to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Mrs Bassey claimed the suspect contacted her in February 2024 about a supposed opportunity to secure a scholarship and a study visa abroad.
She explained that she did not make any payment until the suspect signed an indemnity agreement, which she notarised before transferring the money electronically into the suspect’s First Bank account.
“However, after receiving the payment, Okpong allegedly became unreachable and started rejecting calls on her mobile lines as she completely failed to deliver on her promise and terms of the signed agreement,” the victim added.
Mrs Bassey also alleged that the suspect had defrauded many victims, especially one of her friends, “who got stranded in China when she got there and realised that there was no scholarship.
“Some of her victims had travelled abroad with fake documents that left many of them stranded overseas, while some others faced deportation with huge financial losses.”
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