The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned three people before the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan over alleged forgery, uttering of documents and obtaining money by false pretence in connection with purported Canadian visa and travel arrangements valued at about ₦30 million.
The EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, saying the suspects — Emmanuel Serah Motunrayo, Awotunde Olugbenga and Idowu Olugbemi Sunday — were separately arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the commission before Justice Olusola Adetujoye.
Alleged ₦23.4m Visa Fraud
Motunrayo and Olugbenga faced a 47-count charge involving alleged fraud of ₦23.4 million.
The EFCC alleged that the duo presented themselves as travel and immigration agents operating from Abuja and promised victims Canadian visas and other travel arrangements.
According to the commission, they allegedly collected ₦12.36 million from Oluwatobi Adeoluwa Iyanda and ₦11.03 million from Oyewale Tunji Bello but failed to fulfil the promises.
The EFCC also accused them of forging Canadian visa documents purportedly issued by the Canadian government and presenting them to victims as genuine.
One of the charges alleged that the defendants obtained ₦527,000 from Iyanda after promising to secure a valid Canadian visa and flight ticket for him.
Another count accused them of forging a Canadian visa dated June 20, 2025, bearing Travel Document Number B011745448 and issued in Iyanda’s name.
The two defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges.
EFCC counsel, Mohammed Abideen, asked the court to remand them and fix a date for trial, while their lawyer, Jimoh Wasiu, urged the court to grant them bail, saying bail applications had already been filed.
Justice Adetujoye adjourned the case until August 26, 2026, for hearing of the bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan.
Third Defendant Faces ₦6.65m Allegation
In a separate case, the EFCC arraigned Idowu Olugbemi Sunday over an alleged ₦6.65 million fraud involving a purported promise to secure Canadian visas for Okanlawon Tunji Ajao and his family.
He faced a four-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering of documents and obtaining money by false pretence.
The EFCC alleged that between June 2025 and January 2026, Sunday collected ₦6.65 million from Ajao after falsely claiming he could secure Canadian visas for him and his family.
Sunday also pleaded not guilty.
EFCC counsel, Lanre Suleiman, requested his remand and asked the court to fix a trial date, while defence counsel, Tiwalade Shittu, told the court that a bail application had been filed.
Justice Adetujoye adjourned the case until August 26 for hearing of the bail application and ordered Sunday to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
