MAN CHARGED WITH N60M VISA FRAUD IN LAGOS
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Officers of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday arraigned Israel Onen before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged visa racketeering scheme involving N60 million.
Onen appeared before Justice Ibrahim Kala on four counts, including conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, money laundering, fraud, and stealing, as outlined in the police charge marked FHC/L/1203C/2025.
During the arraignment, the prosecutor told the court that Onen, together with others who are currently at large, conspired between 2024 and 2025 to defraud the complainant, Akinola Ayodele Emmanuel.
He alleged that Onen “fraudulently obtained the sum of N60 million under the pretence of procuring Ireland and Schengen visas” for the complainant’s clients.
“The visas were never obtained, and the money was not refunded,” the prosecutor said.
The police further alleged that Onen’s actions violated the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, and the Criminal Code.
Onen pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.
After the plea, the prosecutor requested the court to set a trial date and urged that the defendant be remanded in police custody.
“We are requesting that the defendant be remanded in the custody of Zone 2 Command due to multiple complaints against him,” the prosecutor told the court.
Defence counsel O. Ogu, however, opposed the application and asked the court to grant bail. “We have filed and served our bail application on the prosecution, and we pray the court to admit the defendant to bail on liberal terms,” he said.
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Justice Ibrahim Kala granted the defendant bail in the sum of N60 million with one surety of equal value.
The judge ruled that the surety must either be a civil servant of Grade Level 13 or above or a property owner with assets valued at N60 million.
Additionally, Justice Kala directed that both the defendant and his surety provide two passport photographs, their National Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers, bank account details, and phone numbers used for receiving alerts.
“The court registrar and the prosecutor are to assist in verifying the bail conditions,” the judge ruled.
He adjourned the case to February 12, 2026, for trial and ordered that the defendant remain in the custody of Zone 2 Command, Onikan, until his bail conditions are fully met.
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