The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 10 Cameroanian nationals over an alleged human trafficking and visa fraud syndicate accused of swindling unsuspecting victims of millions of naira through false promises of overseas relocation.
The suspects, made up of five males and five females, were allegedly involved in a scheme that lured fellow Cameroonians to Nigeria with assurances of securing visas, work permits, and residency documents for destinations including Mauritius, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Investigations revealed that victims paid substantial sums of money for travel arrangements that never materialised. Several of the suspects were also reportedly found without valid passports or visas, raising concerns about their entry into Nigeria.
According to a police source, the group operated under the guise of a networking business but was in reality recruiting and exploiting victims through deceptive means.
The syndicate allegedly used social media platforms to project a false image of success by staging photographs and videos in luxury locations, airports, and tourist centres to convince prospective victims that members had successfully relocated abroad.
Victims were reportedly coached on what to tell family members and friends in order to attract more recruits into the scheme.
In view of the cross-border nature of the case and allegations of organised fraud, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Fatai Tijani, ordered the transfer of the matter from the Egbeda Tactical Unit to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, for further investigation under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dayo Akinbisehin.
One of the victims narrated how she was convinced by a friend who claimed to be living and working in Mauritius. Attracted by promises of better employment opportunities, she paid 800,000 CFA francs, estimated at about N2 million, to facilitate her travel and documentation.
She said she was informed that Mauritius had no embassy in Cameroon and was advised to travel to Nigeria for visa processing. Upon arriving in Lagos, she was taken to a hotel and later to what she believed was an embassy office, only to discover it was an ordinary office where she was asked to sign documents she did not fully understand.
The victim alleged that she was later moved to a residence in Epe, Lagos, where she was informed that the actual business involved a networking scheme. According to her, her phone and travel documents were confiscated, while she and other victims were taken to airports and tourist sites to pose for photographs and videos that were subsequently posted online to deceive potential recruits.
She further claimed that when she demanded a refund and sought to return home, she was told her money was non-refundable and that she could only recover her funds by recruiting another person into the scheme.
The victim added that her cousin was later persuaded to pay another 800,000 CFA francs after being led to believe she had successfully relocated overseas.
Another victim recounted a similar ordeal, stating that she paid approximately 1.5 million CFA francs, equivalent to about N3.5 million, for what she was told would cover a Mauritius passport, work permit, and residence permit.
She alleged that she was advised she did not require a Cameroonian passport and could travel to Nigeria using only her national identity card.
However, after arriving in Lagos, she discovered that instead of processing travel documents, the suspects introduced her to a networking business and trained participants on strategies for recruiting new members.
The victim further alleged that participants were closely monitored while communicating with relatives and were instructed on what to say in order to maintain the false impression that they had successfully relocated abroad.
Police investigations into the alleged trafficking and visa fraud network are ongoing.